I will write one long post, if I can manage it, and then I will not mention TWOTY again, I promise!
Weather was truly appalling, rain came down in rods so all ideas of taking pics outside the church abandoned. The weather really did not matter. The whole day was perfect. The night before, at the rehearsal, I had a chat with my ex and peace and harmony was finally restored after a long period of bitterness, and we both agreed that the wedding was going to be the happiest occasion. It was. Bride, Bridesmaid and Mother were crimped and curled and made up early in the morning and I drove along the A12 to Prested Hall and Bridal Suite with two bottles of champagne tucked into the suitcase to drink while we got ready.
Patrick arrived to collect Helen and welled up when he saw how beautiful she looked in her dress and quite overcome by Kathryn who was stunning in red. From that moment on everything was perfect. Helen entered the church to the Wedding March with the organ thundering away beaming at everyone as she walked down the aisle. The music was under Patrick's direction and he had put together a terrific choir (as he conducts five local choirs he certainly had lots of candidates to choose from....). After the marriage ceremony was over they sang I was Glad by Parry which made me cry and then I had to pull myself together to read Shakespeare's Sonnet 116. I was shaking from head to foot as I climbed the steps and then when I saw everyone smiling at me my nervousness vanished and I got through it ok. We then had a first performance of a piece specially written for the occasion by one of the Best Men, Tom Young, called The Flower with words by George Herbert which was gorgeous. Shades of Strauss (Richard) I felt and a swoopy glorious tune for the violin in the middle. While we were off signing the register the choir sang What Sweeter Music by John Rutter and then Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams which gave us a chance to sit quietly at the back of the church and listen. Then the blessing and the exit to the Trumpet Tune by Jeremiah Clarke. The music was all so glorious that somebody said it felt like a 'mini royal wedding'. Luckily Kiri te Kanawa did not turn up in THAT hat....
At the reception mince pies and mulled wine awaited us and I made sure the elder members of the party, including my mother, had a tray of tea and a sit down in a quiet room. Jazz trio played for an hour and very good they were too. Then James, the Groom and friends of his played Dvorak's string and piano with Hugh, James's father on the piano. It was wonderful stuff and then Patrick took over and sang songs from the shows starting with O What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma, Maria from West Side Story, On the Street where you Live from My Fair Lady, Edelweiss from Sound of Music and ending up with Beautiful Girls from Stephen Sondheim's Follies. Everyone joined in the singing with enormous gusto and with surprising tunefulness from people who had been drinking mulled wine for two hours.
Then meal and speeches. Father of the Bride excellent speech, Groom slightly halting and emotional, The Bride then made a speech very funny and amusing and then the two Best Men, witty and delightful. The standard of joke and back chat was very high indeed. All these Cambridge bright young things used to debating in hall certainly know how to play an audience.
After dinner and cutting of cake, we all sat around drinking coffee eating Stilton and grapes then a disco and I made an exhibition of myself dancing to Abba and selections from Grease, knocking back champagne in between and it was a wonderful wonderful day.
So now TWOTY is over and no more burlbings on about it. I feel very blessed to have had such a happy day and to be supported throughout by my dear friends and my glorious elder daughter Kathryn who has a loving heart and generosity of character and understanding and who looked enchanting in her bridesmaid's dress (not the one pictured below - by this time in the evening the fitted satin had begun to restrict the intake of food and drink so she changed into something more relaxing).
And a big thank you to all of you visitors out there who have left me kind messages of friendship and support over the last few weeks. I appreciate and love you all.
And yes, despite all the flurry and excitement I DID remember to set the video and have spent the afternoon relaxing and watching Strictly Come Dancing.....
