I REMEMBER a few months ago, when I started writing this column, how carefree and happy I was. Preparations for the wedding were motoring along nicely. Things were getting booked, deposits were being paid and everything was falling into place.

Fast forward six months and I can now imagine the voices of experience looking on at my calm and relaxed attitude, laughing to themselves and cackling 'fools', happy in the knowledge that the road to Daviesjones Ville was not going to be as bump free was we had expected.

Now don't get me wrong, our wedding plans haven't hit a patch of ice, crashed and had to be towed to Wedding-chaos-city. But suffice to say that back then we were motoring along with what we felt was all the grace and elegance of an Aston Martin. It turns out it's more like a clapped out version of the Scoobie Doo's Mystery Machine.

You see, although we started well in the race towards our big day, getting things done and sorted, it seems we've become a bit like the floppy eared one from the tale of the tortoise and the hare. We seem to have stopped for a little kip and found ourselves way behind in the race.

Yes, we've booked our venue and church and sorted out the dress. But good god, there is still so much to do.

We haven't been able to tick much off our to do list in the past few months. As things stand the only entertainment that guests will have to look forward to is watching me give Lucy a piggy back as we leave the church, as I haven't sorted out the wedding car or the band. I am also trying to track-down a videographer who doesn't look like his work would be a contender for some kind of home video compilation show (although £250 would come in handy).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not panicking. But I have suddenly woken up, hare-like if you will, and realised that the slumber of the past few months means that I've lost some serious ground in the wedding race.

With Christmas having crept up on us like some kind of slipper wearing stalker and stag dos and hen nights looming in the new year, I'm conscious that time to the big day is in shorter supply than sympathy for bankers. So with that in mind I need to find a videographer, a band and a wedding car pronto. Failing that a taxi driver with a tambourine and a web cam will do. If you can help with suggestions on either front, please let me know.