Categories: uncategorized
Date: 19 December 2004 13:16:23
Yesterday I went to my 6th wedding of 2004. Like all the others, totally unique, very *them*, and absolutely wonderful. It has to be said that organisation isn't top of the list of D and M's strong points (I received my invitation the morning of the wedding!), and having seen D at the London Ship meet last week when he seemed a bit unsure about whether he entirely knew what was going on I think we were all curious as to how it would pan out.
Well - the only word I can use is stunning. I even dusted off my clarinet (for the first time in well over a year) to play in a last-minute music group and I have to say I thought we sounded rather good (and we got lots of compliments which was very gratifying). The church was decorated with holly and candles and silver baubles, and the wedding took place as it was getting dark in the centre of the church lit by candles and minimal lighting with the congregation seated around them. I loved the vicar's opening line: "It's not often I feel underdressed at church, perhaps I should have come as Gandalf!" - bride and groom were just stunning. Of all the weddings I've been to this year, although all were lovely, unique, individual and perfect for the couple, I have to say: I have never seen such a stunning wedding dress. Beautiful, beautiful - black and silver, very LOTR but just breathtaking. I was nearly crying all the way through (held it together though as was playing clarinet, although I nearly did just bawl when Miss Molly was mentioned during the Eucharistic prayer - yesterday was also the 2nd anniversary of her death).
And the reception - informal bar, we kept getting plied with food but because it was just a nibble here and then another you didn't realise till you tried to stand up just how much you'd actually eaten! A great cobbled-together band (I think mostly from D's church) who had nearly everyone on the floor dancing away, and the chance to catch up with various people. Wonderful stuff.
On the way back to the tube with Maddie and Dave an incident occurred when I dropped my umbrella and it was caught by some wind which proceeded to transport it across the City Road, with Dave and I in hot, if somewhat ineffectual and (in my case at any rate) slightly drunken pursuit. Thankfully we managed to retrieve it without too much trauma, and you'll be glad to hear that we both remembered to follow the Green Cross Code at all times, even in the somewhat stressful and traumatic circumstances. I must say though I remain very grateful that the traffic lights were on red, which rather helped our rescue of the runaway umbrella. If the traffic had been flowing I may have had to report a less successful outcome.
When I got back home I discovered that the combination of lots of clarinet playing, chocolate wedding cake, mulled wine, an olive or two*, more red wine and lipsyl had combined to give me really scary, stained Goth Lips. I'm really hoping the reason nobody pointed this out to me was because it was too dark for anyone to notice, rather than because they were too embarrassed to tell me.
* I'm sure I only had a couple ;)
This morning I scived church (I did go to St Tesco's, but I can't say it was the most uplifting experience) as it's our carol service this evening and I so needed a lie-in that the thought of spending the best part of the day in church just wasn't doing it for me. I did however discover this morning that my unwanted house guest earlier in the week *did* in fact take something (I'd originally thought he'd just trashed the place and left everything) - I suddenly noticed a gap in my wine rack, the ******* took my bottle of champagne. I have to say I'm not the world's biggest fan of champagne, but this was a (very expensive) present some years ago from a friend and I was waiting for "an occasion" to crack it open - now I won't get the chance, even if "an occasion" arises. Gah.