Except this time, it's the planning for someone else's big day that's giving me nightmares.

We all know, thanks to endless surveys, that it can cost around £386 each just to be a guest these days.

Outfits

But as none of my close mates have tied the knot yet and last year was – in the words of a true diva – all about me, I've little previous experience of that particular circle of hell reserved for guests.

Outfits, presents, accommodation, transport, time off work, beauty treatments, haircuts – it's worse than being the bride.

And like so many things in this life – packing for holidays, buying gifts for friends – this is infinitely harder for women.

How glam is too glam? How strict is the dress code? How summery should I look?

Is it possible to be trendy and still be wedding-appropriate? These are just a few of the tortuous questions keeping female guests from their beauty sleep.

Men just stick on the same old suit – maybe even the one they wore for their own wedding – and they're sorted.

Limelight

Believe me, there's nothing I would love more than to rock up in my wedding dress but I'm afraid I might be accused of trying to steal the limelight.

Anyway, I'm not at my fighting weight right now so I wouldn't even get in it.

In a bid to save precious pennies I'm stuck with a borrowed frock – sadly not from Marchesa or Ben de Lisi like an A-lister at the Oscars but from a very generous friend with a wardrobe 10 times the size of mine.

She actually had to lend me two, as we're supposed to get changed between the evening and night 'do'.

Double the despair.

And it's so much worse when it's your husband's friends getting hitched rather than your own because there's so much more pressure to look good.

Plus the last time most of these guests saw me was on my own wedding day, when thanks to an army of helpers I looked the best I ever had and ever will.

The more I think about it, the less I want to go to this bash.

I said "I do" last time, can't I say "I don't" this time?


Pigeons' coup


AT this time of year thoughts inevitably turn to Ibiza – whether and when to go.

But when a bottle of water costs £10 in a club out there, and getting in to clubs can cost up to £50 – some serious thought is needed.

Realistically, no-one lets a little issue like cash shortage put them off.

The Ibiza experience will definitely be one of the few industries to escape the credit crunch unscathed – three quarters of the people there every summer can't afford to be there, what's changed this year?

But just in case anyone did need that extra boost to persuade them to book their flights I've found two great examples.

One is that Leeds band the Pigeon Detectives are officially opening the summer season of the massively successful Ibiza Rocks on June 17.

The second is that Leeds DJs Andi Durrant and Nick Riley will be spinning their dance magic out there every Monday from July 7 at their brilliant Electrik Playground night, in the world's biggest club – Privilege.

The duo behind Galaxy's award-winning Nu Breed show have been asked to support world-famous dance icon Tiesto.

I feel it's our duty to be there to support the city's musical ambassadors.

And that's what I'll be telling my bank manager.

See you there!


Food for thought for Jamie


GOLLY, not a day seems to go by at the moment without a mention of school dinners guru Jamie Oliver in this newspaper.

Hot on the heels of the fantastic news that Fifteen could be opening in Leeds, comes the revelation that the TV chef is planning to launch his own food shop called Revilo – Oliver spelt backwards.

He has described it as "somewhere you can go to buy kitchenware, food and learn to cook, all in one place".

The shop will open next year but the hunt is still on for a site.

I have a "pukka" suggestion.

Seeing as he and the rest of the Fifteen Foundation obviously think Leeds is "cookin'" enough to open an eatery here, how about opening his shop here too?

And I know the perfect place – the new-look Corn Exchange. Don't get me wrong, I share people's reservations about plans to turn it into a food emporium, but if the nation's favourite celebrity chef was to give it his seal of approval I'm sure that would have wannabe-tenants and shoppers queuing up.

I'm no cook but it sounds like a recipe for success.