The Wedding, Part Two: Saturday the 14th
Not quite as dramatic a title, but there you go. It wasn't as if there were insane axe murderers the day before anyway.
It's bizarre waking up in the morning to find all your friends in the same house, passing by you as they try to get their turn in the bathroom. Chantelle and I were only awake and breakfasted long enough before we were whisked away to get our hair done. I still can't believe it took them longer to do up hers than mine. :P
We managed to get some lunch in before Chantelle, Lindsay and I made off to the barn to get ready as Nick isn't supposed to see me anymore until I walk in. I don't think in the history of rural country weddings did the bridal party head off the venue to the soundtrack of Iron Maiden's newest album (thank you, Mark, for leaving it in the car). Chantelle got my make-up on me though in the end the mascara was more successful when I tried it myself, but in the end I would have looked a lot worse if I'd had to do it on my own. It was sort of funny, the three women least concerned about make-up trying to make themselves up. Lindsay managed to get away with "Oh sod this I'm not bothering with eyeliner" while Chantelle was trying to not poke my eye out. Once when Andrew walked in there was potential for him to screech the punchline of the egg joke and have me with a lip liner pencil up my nose.
But he knew he was being punished enough, having to give the best man speech and all that.
The photographer had already arrived and done some rounds while the venue was still people-less, and she even managed to get a look at the albums from Kuala Lumpur, which was nice for her so she can assemble my album in as different a style as possible. I got a good view of the guests coming in from the bridal room's 'sniper window' and saw a very handsome Nick all done up, albeit with customary floppy hair (too bad we can't make it look Hugh Grant-style floppy... bung a pair of glasses on him and then... ROWR). By this point the collection of geeks had increased to include Martin (
the_hidden_paw) and Leonie, so all was complete.
Now, note to potential and/or planning wedding couples: when you think, in your evening chats about your perfect wedding, you decide on your wedding song, please for the love of God really, REALLY think about it. Because there is nothing more alarming than standing outside the hall with your bouquet (mine had baby apples and widdle baby pumpkins!!!! I walk by florists shops with snobbish air because my bouquet was the BEST EVER) and realizing, as the first notes of The Riders of Rohan start playing, that you are such a geek.
This was my train of thought at the time:
"Heh. Funny. We were going to use the Rohan theme for me to walk in. *descending sense of horror* Oh holy Jesus Christ I AM walking in to the Rohan theme! How geeky am I? I am so SAD!"
But I walked in anyway, and goddamn did it look/feel good, appearing bang on the aisle as the single Norwegian fiddle notes started to play.
Still, really. Think about it. Your choice of wedding song, I mean.
Speaking of wedding music, I had my godbrother Segun and our friend Mike singing the interludes. And they were so good. I'd forgotten how good they were. It was really nice, because right at those moments while I was trying to concentrate on getting married I could remember all the house parties Segun and Mike and I sang at, and how we managed to 'chill-ify' Backstreet's Back, and how we always wrapped up with Thong Song....
We lit candles, we signed things, Chantelle's arms probably got tired hanging on to two bouquets (baby pumpkins are kinda heavy) and then we walked out to The Fellowship theme, and there was a lot of mingling and photo-taking going on. And then we went in for dinner, and my god was dinner good. I love our caterer. What caterer would think, "Aha! A wedding party! Have yourself a barbeque, 5 sides and salads and 3 desserts!"? The burgers were the best bits, I think, especially if you nicely ask for one that's been soaking in warm beef juices all evening.
I had asked both Chantelle and Andrew, as maid of honour and best man, to deliver speeches. And I was very happy with what they did. I think it was very special that my parents got to hear about a daughter they didn't actually know from someone who'd only known me for about three years. I didn't choke up, as I thought I would (haha! waterproof mascara!) until Paul came along and made a surprise speech to acknowledge my work with the Shaolin Kung-Fu class. I had to go over to him to tell him off for nearly making me cry. The bastard.
I have never barn danced before. But I might do again, someday. It's not my fault that my husband is a big weenie who whines when he has the flu. Then again, it's also not my fault that I still have a slightly buggered ankle. What was incredibly funny, though, was Nick's Nana going around asking who'd be her partner as Grandpa was not up to barn dancing. The woman only just turned 80. A lot of the Sheffield University Lot (this being Daddy's team of uni friends - someday, I think all us Southampton Kids will be just like that) jumped straight into the barn dancing. A number never left. One of Nick's aunts didn't seem to have left. I went back in to dance with Daddy. I missed MY MOTHER dancing. I ought to be shot.
Meanwhile people were mingling and talking, making new friends and finding old ones. I found my Irish relatives (as in, from Ireland) and they were fantastic fun, especially given that Ben was a poister. Ah, and that was the other highlight - a courtyard of poisters in wedding and party dress. Rhiannon looked especially fantastic with the flag poi - for some reason her with flag poi and wearing those shoes she was wearing made her look uber-awesome. The possibly least or most hilarious event of that - depending on who you are, and how you look at it - was Martin learning what happens WHEN POI STRIKE BACK. Amazing how now he's taken them up and is getting really good at them (the git).
And the last dance consisted mostly of the Southampton University Brigade (as christened by Lindsay), including Nick. It occurred to me that the caller for the dances gave his instructions in that sort of painfully patient manner, as if he knows that no matter what he does, people are going to be crap, people know they're going to be crap, people know that he knows they're going to be crap... I guess it's like being a doctor: you need some kind of dark sense of humour to do your job.
The end of the night left us uni lot lounging around outside in the courtyard, chilling out with our ties and shoes off. And that was lovely. Just sitting there, under the stars, with the warm glow of the lights from the barn. Just a bunch of friends hanging around. And again, it was Nick's parents who came round and said, all right, enough then, time for bed.
Daddy's Sheffield Lot got to reunite an extra time this year. Our Southampton Uni Brigage got to hang out for a whole weekend. My mother spent all evening catching up with my Aunt Fiona from Ireland. Fiona's children were reunited for the first time in a while. I got to see Mike again. Nick got to see his old school friends again. His grandparents got to see the children and grandchildren an extra go this year. It was really nice, being able to unite all these people for this one day.
I will admit that once everyone was gone and it was just Nick and me left behind, I wandered the barn a bit, looked around, and burst into tears, because the wedding was really over, and the next day everyone would be going home, and it would be just me and Nick again. I felt very sad that the single best time of my life was over, and every time I would remember it I would laugh and smile because it was so cool and hilarious and brilliant and then cry because I'll never feel like that again.
Just as well that I cried at the end, because while the mascara didn't run, the rest of the make-up did...
Oh, and just to say, Nick said his favourite moment of the night was when I opened my present from Andrew, Rhiannon, Chantelle and Paul. He said he'd never seen such a brilliant expression. He thanks you all muchly for that moment. He's currently still buried in the George R. R. Martin book Martin and Leonie got us.
Now, if only the night hadn't ended with me crying AGAIN because some idiot child who will get a large lump of coal on his head for Xmas tore one of my gorgeous flag poi...
(Part Three soonish)
It's bizarre waking up in the morning to find all your friends in the same house, passing by you as they try to get their turn in the bathroom. Chantelle and I were only awake and breakfasted long enough before we were whisked away to get our hair done. I still can't believe it took them longer to do up hers than mine. :P
We managed to get some lunch in before Chantelle, Lindsay and I made off to the barn to get ready as Nick isn't supposed to see me anymore until I walk in. I don't think in the history of rural country weddings did the bridal party head off the venue to the soundtrack of Iron Maiden's newest album (thank you, Mark, for leaving it in the car). Chantelle got my make-up on me though in the end the mascara was more successful when I tried it myself, but in the end I would have looked a lot worse if I'd had to do it on my own. It was sort of funny, the three women least concerned about make-up trying to make themselves up. Lindsay managed to get away with "Oh sod this I'm not bothering with eyeliner" while Chantelle was trying to not poke my eye out. Once when Andrew walked in there was potential for him to screech the punchline of the egg joke and have me with a lip liner pencil up my nose.
But he knew he was being punished enough, having to give the best man speech and all that.
The photographer had already arrived and done some rounds while the venue was still people-less, and she even managed to get a look at the albums from Kuala Lumpur, which was nice for her so she can assemble my album in as different a style as possible. I got a good view of the guests coming in from the bridal room's 'sniper window' and saw a very handsome Nick all done up, albeit with customary floppy hair (too bad we can't make it look Hugh Grant-style floppy... bung a pair of glasses on him and then... ROWR). By this point the collection of geeks had increased to include Martin (
the_hidden_paw) and Leonie, so all was complete.
Now, note to potential and/or planning wedding couples: when you think, in your evening chats about your perfect wedding, you decide on your wedding song, please for the love of God really, REALLY think about it. Because there is nothing more alarming than standing outside the hall with your bouquet (mine had baby apples and widdle baby pumpkins!!!! I walk by florists shops with snobbish air because my bouquet was the BEST EVER) and realizing, as the first notes of The Riders of Rohan start playing, that you are such a geek.
This was my train of thought at the time:
"Heh. Funny. We were going to use the Rohan theme for me to walk in. *descending sense of horror* Oh holy Jesus Christ I AM walking in to the Rohan theme! How geeky am I? I am so SAD!"
But I walked in anyway, and goddamn did it look/feel good, appearing bang on the aisle as the single Norwegian fiddle notes started to play.
Still, really. Think about it. Your choice of wedding song, I mean.
Speaking of wedding music, I had my godbrother Segun and our friend Mike singing the interludes. And they were so good. I'd forgotten how good they were. It was really nice, because right at those moments while I was trying to concentrate on getting married I could remember all the house parties Segun and Mike and I sang at, and how we managed to 'chill-ify' Backstreet's Back, and how we always wrapped up with Thong Song....
We lit candles, we signed things, Chantelle's arms probably got tired hanging on to two bouquets (baby pumpkins are kinda heavy) and then we walked out to The Fellowship theme, and there was a lot of mingling and photo-taking going on. And then we went in for dinner, and my god was dinner good. I love our caterer. What caterer would think, "Aha! A wedding party! Have yourself a barbeque, 5 sides and salads and 3 desserts!"? The burgers were the best bits, I think, especially if you nicely ask for one that's been soaking in warm beef juices all evening.
I had asked both Chantelle and Andrew, as maid of honour and best man, to deliver speeches. And I was very happy with what they did. I think it was very special that my parents got to hear about a daughter they didn't actually know from someone who'd only known me for about three years. I didn't choke up, as I thought I would (haha! waterproof mascara!) until Paul came along and made a surprise speech to acknowledge my work with the Shaolin Kung-Fu class. I had to go over to him to tell him off for nearly making me cry. The bastard.
I have never barn danced before. But I might do again, someday. It's not my fault that my husband is a big weenie who whines when he has the flu. Then again, it's also not my fault that I still have a slightly buggered ankle. What was incredibly funny, though, was Nick's Nana going around asking who'd be her partner as Grandpa was not up to barn dancing. The woman only just turned 80. A lot of the Sheffield University Lot (this being Daddy's team of uni friends - someday, I think all us Southampton Kids will be just like that) jumped straight into the barn dancing. A number never left. One of Nick's aunts didn't seem to have left. I went back in to dance with Daddy. I missed MY MOTHER dancing. I ought to be shot.
Meanwhile people were mingling and talking, making new friends and finding old ones. I found my Irish relatives (as in, from Ireland) and they were fantastic fun, especially given that Ben was a poister. Ah, and that was the other highlight - a courtyard of poisters in wedding and party dress. Rhiannon looked especially fantastic with the flag poi - for some reason her with flag poi and wearing those shoes she was wearing made her look uber-awesome. The possibly least or most hilarious event of that - depending on who you are, and how you look at it - was Martin learning what happens WHEN POI STRIKE BACK. Amazing how now he's taken them up and is getting really good at them (the git).
And the last dance consisted mostly of the Southampton University Brigade (as christened by Lindsay), including Nick. It occurred to me that the caller for the dances gave his instructions in that sort of painfully patient manner, as if he knows that no matter what he does, people are going to be crap, people know they're going to be crap, people know that he knows they're going to be crap... I guess it's like being a doctor: you need some kind of dark sense of humour to do your job.
The end of the night left us uni lot lounging around outside in the courtyard, chilling out with our ties and shoes off. And that was lovely. Just sitting there, under the stars, with the warm glow of the lights from the barn. Just a bunch of friends hanging around. And again, it was Nick's parents who came round and said, all right, enough then, time for bed.
Daddy's Sheffield Lot got to reunite an extra time this year. Our Southampton Uni Brigage got to hang out for a whole weekend. My mother spent all evening catching up with my Aunt Fiona from Ireland. Fiona's children were reunited for the first time in a while. I got to see Mike again. Nick got to see his old school friends again. His grandparents got to see the children and grandchildren an extra go this year. It was really nice, being able to unite all these people for this one day.
I will admit that once everyone was gone and it was just Nick and me left behind, I wandered the barn a bit, looked around, and burst into tears, because the wedding was really over, and the next day everyone would be going home, and it would be just me and Nick again. I felt very sad that the single best time of my life was over, and every time I would remember it I would laugh and smile because it was so cool and hilarious and brilliant and then cry because I'll never feel like that again.
Just as well that I cried at the end, because while the mascara didn't run, the rest of the make-up did...
Oh, and just to say, Nick said his favourite moment of the night was when I opened my present from Andrew, Rhiannon, Chantelle and Paul. He said he'd never seen such a brilliant expression. He thanks you all muchly for that moment. He's currently still buried in the George R. R. Martin book Martin and Leonie got us.
Now, if only the night hadn't ended with me crying AGAIN because some idiot child who will get a large lump of coal on his head for Xmas tore one of my gorgeous flag poi...
(Part Three soonish)