The great thing about not looking at your wedding photos for such a long time is that they come back to life. Well, not literally because they are just photos but you get the idea.

This evening I am snuggled up on the sofa, with an amazing hot chocolate and a cosy blanket, enjoying reliving it all. It is amazing how simply looking at our wedding photos has put the same butterflies that I felt on that day back in my tummy. I love it.

I was 21 (only just, I turned 21 the week before our wedding) when I married my lovely J. We had just graduated a couple of weeks before and us getting married straight out of University shocked a lot of people. I thought that the ‘shock’ would wear off but even now, new people try to hide that same shocked expression when they find out how old we are. There is an assumption that because I wear a wedding ring and have a baby that I must therefore be a certain age. But I’m not. I am 23.

I used to be a bit embarrassed about my age, like it was something to be ashamed of. Even as recently as being pregnant with Belle, midwifes would comment on ‘how young I was’ at hospital appointments. When Belle was born my well meaning health visitor signed me up for a ‘first time parent course’ which turned out to be more like ‘parenting for dummies’ because I am a ‘young Mum’. I started to dread people asking my age as I would then feel a need to justify my life choices to them.

But, I have come to realise that there is nothing to justify.

J and I met at University. Eighteen months later he asked me to be his girlfriend, eleven months later he asked me to be his wife, eight months later we got married and just over two years later we were blessed with Belle.

When you know you know. Marriage is a choice that you make to commit to the person that you love, for the rest of your life. We made that choice younger than most but older than some. For us the plus side is that we get to spend more of our precious years on earth, together.

I guess what I am starting to see is that when it comes to marriage, age is somewhat irrelevant. If you understand the true nature of the commitment that you are making, and more importantly, that you are both willing to work on your marriage for the rest of your life – then you are ready. Our faith is the foundation of our marriage and our marriage forms the foundation of everything else that we do. We are dedicated to continually be working to make our marriage the best that it can be, for us, for our children, grandchildren and beyond.

J – Thank you for being my ultimate best friend, teammate and love.