The 22-year-old has selected the venue and picked out her 1,100 dream dress.
She has also chosen the song that will play as she walks down the aisle and
finalised a menu her guests will be served.
But there is one thing missing from her big day the groom.
She is one of a growing group of women called the Single Bridezillas, who have
planned their weddings down to the last tea light, despite the fact they
don’t even have a boyfriend.
Rearna, who is reading English Literature at university, said: “Every girl
grows up dreaming of their wedding day, fantasising about how they will look
and whether their mum will cry.
“I’m just taking it one step further than most and making those dreams a
reality.”
Rearna was bitten by the bridal bug last year when she visited St
Bartholomew’s Church near where she studies in Brighton.
She said: “After a string of failed relationships, I used to be the type of
girl who couldn’t think of anything worse than getting married.
“But when, last year, I went inside that church I had a life-changing moment.”
Taking in the beautiful architecture, long aisle and stunning stain glass
windows Rearna was “blown away” by the place.
She said: “It was stunning. All of a sudden I could see myself in a gorgeous
white dress, walking down the aisle with all my friends and family looking
on proudly.
“In that moment I decided I had to get married and started planning
straight away. I wanted to put my name on the wedding waiting list there and
then.”
Within minutes of returning home, Rearna decided both her dad Des, 54, and
brother Landon, 19, would walk her down the aisle to the song A Case Of You
by James Blake.
She said: “It’s such a beautiful song, when I heard it on the radio I
instantly said ‘That’s it’.”
Ever since her visit to the church ten months ago, Rearna is “like a woman
possessed.”
Despite her friends mocking her sudden obsession with her fantasy wedding,
Rearna hasn’t stopped giving them details of her big day.
She admitted: “My friends laugh at me. They couldn’t understand when I first
told them I’d started to plan a wedding without a boyfriend.
“Suddenly, bridal shops and wedding magazines became interesting.
“Looking through them for ideas, my mind raced with thoughts of invites,
flowers and, of course, the dress.”
Rearna was in Uckfield, East Sussex, for a day when she saw an ivory dress on
a mannequin in the window of Fross Wedding Collections.
She said: “I stopped in my tracks. I’d seen dresses I liked in the magazines
but nothing compared to this.
“I knew straight away it was the dress I was going to get married in and
booked an appointment for later that day to try it on.
“My friend Leah Butson she’s a student too and I both had tears in our
eyes as I twirled in front of the mirror with the circular train trailing
behind me. It was the stuff of dreams.”
Returning home that night, unable to stop thinking about her dream dress,
Rearna began to panic that the dress would sell out before she had the funds
to buy it.
She said: “I just know how upset I’ll be if I finally saved up the money only
to find out it’s gone. The only way is to put down a deposit of 150, so I’m
going to have to save so I can be safe in the knowledge it’s mine.
“I go in to try it on at least once a month and because I’ve been doing it for
the past seven months shop owner knows me by name.
“I’ve even considered taking out a loan to cover the 1,100 to put my mind at
rest.”
Rearna now visits the church every month to visualise her big day and measure
up to work out how many flowers she will need.
She explained: “I sit and picture how it will look. I’ve planned to have the
whole interior lit up with a thousand tea light candles and the pews to be
draped with off-white silk. I love animals, so I’ve asked my best friend if
her dogs can be involved. They’re going to be dressed in little suits and
dresses and will accompany the bridesmaids down the aisle.
“My friend Kirsty Naunton makes amazing cakes so I instantly got her on the
phone to discuss what I wanted.
“The chosen cake is three tiers with white icing and diamante-style
decorations.”
To make sure her dream wedding will not become a distant fantasy, Rearna has
made a pact with a close friend, 23-year-old Jonny Gregson, that if neither
is married by the age of 30, they’ll tie the knot.
She said: “Age 28 is my goal so I have a few years to find someone, finalise
my plans and save the 30,000 I need.”
Although she’s missing a groom, Rearna couldn’t wait to break the news to
those who make up the rest of the bridal party.
Best friends Olivia Jones, 21, Leah, 22, Kirsty Naunton, 22, and Lil Griffin,
21, will all be bridesmaids.
She said: “Although they think I’m mad, they’re all excited.
“I have already taken them to the shop to show them the pink dresses they’ll
be wearing.”
With the ceremony planned in fine detail, Rearna will be taking her guests to
the nearby beach for the reception in a giant marquee.
She said: “Living in Brighton, I’ve decided to have a party on the beach.
“Watching the sun set with my family and friends and new husband will be so
amazing.”
The single bride-to-be does not want to leave any part unplanned so Rearna has
recently finalised her food menu.
She said: “My grandma Daisy Ackord is Jamaican and she makes the best food
I’ve ever tasted, so she’s in charge of catering for my big day. I’m going
to have a West Indian menu consisting of jerk chicken, specialty rice and
peas, ackee and saltfish and special Jamaican cakes for dessert.”
Rearna and her gran have worked out the Caribbean feast will cost 50 a head.
And for the music, she will hire a jazz-funk band.
She said: “I come from a very musical family and we’re all big jazz fans so
I’ve been keeping an eye out for one that can cater for weddings.”
Every time someone mentions getting married, Rearna always tries to slip in a
mention of St Bartholomew’s.
The singleton even spoke to someone who had been married at the venue. When
they revealed they had trouble with parking she immediately factored in
plans to have minibuses bring guests to the venue.
Despite living on her student loan, Rearna is already trying to save the
30,000 she’s worked out she needs for her big day.
She said: “The first thing I’m going to spend my first proper pay cheque on is
my wedding dress.
“I’m completely obsessed with it and can’t wait to have it hung in my wardrobe
instead of in a shop window.”
But Rearna is under no illusions she knows the detail with which she has
planned her big day could send a new boyfriend running a mile.
She said: “When I do meet someone I’ll be keeping these plans firmly under
wraps until I have a ring on my finger…”
Victoria Beckham came right out and said what was going through her head as she and her husband David were invited to the royal wedding: