On Tales of Two Weddings - Part One
Mar. 24th, 2015 03:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danieldwilliamMore a commentary on my journeys this weekend. Musings on weddings in part two
My Lovely Wife and I went to two weddings this weekend. One on Saturday, the second on Sunday. The first in Kent and the second in Somerset. This involved some travel. But first it involved leaving the Captain behind.
Although both couples had thoughtfully made their weddings as child friendly as possible, invited lots of other children and the Captain specifically I think he'd have had a difficult time at two weddings on the trot, particularly with the travelling. So we left him having a sleep over with Granddad. I am told by them both that this went well.
The Captain left home at 7 am on Saturday morning with three large bags of stuffed animals and ne'er a backward glance. By 9am MLW and I were eating the first of three breakfasts in the lounge at Edinburgh Airport ahead of our BA flight to Gatwick. On which we were served the second of three breakfasts. We picked up a car at Gatwick and drove to Sevenoaks. Had some breakfast (number three for those keeping count), got changed in the loo of a pub and thence to Sevenoaks station to pick up some fellow guests for transshipment to the wedding.
They were jolly and charming and good fun and by great good fortune one of them was a classicist who worked on Helenic Western Turkey and knew how to pronouce Collosians.
Wedding one took place in the village church of Bride Number One. The vicar had been the vicar BN1 was seven. BN1 had sung in the choir. The highlight of the wedding, beyond all the love and life building, was the music. BN1 is a professionalclassicall singer. Groom Number 1 sings in the chorus at Gynbourne. The average standard of the congregation was semi-professional and that's allowing for me. Lovely, lovely singing.
The ceremony was followed by some wine and canapes so the village folk could pop in and say hi.
From the church to the reception in Royal Tunbridge Wells with our fellow guests. Some more wine then dinner. Good company over dinner. I met someone who work for the Red Cross sorting out Ebola. That's pretty neat. MLW engaged with some babies. Some speeches. I loved the fact that the bestman couldn't think of a single embarrassing or risque story about GN1 other than that he is a bit too keen at work.
Speechs over MLW and I undertook the most Herculean of our Herculean tasks (or perhaps most Jasonic of our Argosy or Odyssean of our Odyssey). Anyhow, the tricky bit. Get from Royal Tunbridge Wells to Yeovil without sleeping. We'd left later than expected. There were roadworks. The navigation in the last mile plagued by inexplicable bridges. We arrived at the venue for Wedding Number Two at half past midnight. Just as the venue's own Wedding Number One was chucking out.
Now the venue for Wedding Number Two is not a hotel. It's a rather lovely country house let out as a wedding venue. The distinction is crucial. Basically, it's unmanned outside weddings. It took MLW and I about half an hour to find our way in to the house and track down someone who could tell us where we sleeping. This included time spent sneaking along corridors in the attic in my stockinged feet and kilt trying not to look like an extra from Scooby Doo.
By one o'clock we were in bed.
Ah the luxury of waking up hundreds of miles from your own children knowing that someone else is cooking your breakfast (number four of the weekend). The West Country sun gently trickling in through the window, the call of a friendly chicken doing a dog impression, being able to roll over and not get up. Bliss.
After a little time we met the Duckers for breakfast. Breakfast was very nice. Certaintly the best of all the breakfasts that took place that weekend. I am known as a man who takes a keen interest in breakfasts. Well done Venue Number Two. After breakfast a small walk in the grounds of the house and then time to get kilted up.
The wedding ceremony itself was in the chapel in the grounds. All very West Country, warm stone, slightly foxed but richly loved. MLW and I had seats near the front as I was reading. Or Reading. Collosians 3:12-17. Went well I thought. It's not often you get an (intentional) laugh reading from the Bible. Well done to the RSC for the text to voice training last year.
The wedding was interfaith ( and therefore consciously religious and spiritual in a way that Wedding Number One had been unconsciously so more on that in part two I think). Like Wedding Number One it suited the couple very much.
Bride Number Two looked stunningly beautiful. She is free to out herself in the comments if she wishes although most readers will know who she is.
Cermonials done the sun came out again to join the congregation for a drink on the terrace. And some canapes, including some rather delicous caviar ones. I had some nice chats and then it was time for dinner and speechs. Speechs were charming, witty, brieg and sincere (or very well acted) and very lovely.
MLW made friends with some small children. I made friends in person with various people on LJ.
There were more drinks including quite a passable dark rum and some dancing. I lost my shoes, had a conversation about ROV's and naval warfare and a sausage inna bun.
Failed to sign the guest book because I coudn't think of anything to write. Have now thought of lots of things.
Went to bed about the same time as I had the night before.
On Monday morning MLW drove me and the Duckers across Somerset to Bristol Airport for our flight to Edinburgh. There were noticiably fewer breakfasts on the way home. Returned in time for lunch and then to be joined by a joyful Captain and perhaps the largest Lego set ever in the history of the Captain's Lego.
Weddings being a very visible sign of deep love it was good to spend so much time at them this weekend.
All in all very lovely.
My Lovely Wife and I went to two weddings this weekend. One on Saturday, the second on Sunday. The first in Kent and the second in Somerset. This involved some travel. But first it involved leaving the Captain behind.
Although both couples had thoughtfully made their weddings as child friendly as possible, invited lots of other children and the Captain specifically I think he'd have had a difficult time at two weddings on the trot, particularly with the travelling. So we left him having a sleep over with Granddad. I am told by them both that this went well.
The Captain left home at 7 am on Saturday morning with three large bags of stuffed animals and ne'er a backward glance. By 9am MLW and I were eating the first of three breakfasts in the lounge at Edinburgh Airport ahead of our BA flight to Gatwick. On which we were served the second of three breakfasts. We picked up a car at Gatwick and drove to Sevenoaks. Had some breakfast (number three for those keeping count), got changed in the loo of a pub and thence to Sevenoaks station to pick up some fellow guests for transshipment to the wedding.
They were jolly and charming and good fun and by great good fortune one of them was a classicist who worked on Helenic Western Turkey and knew how to pronouce Collosians.
Wedding one took place in the village church of Bride Number One. The vicar had been the vicar BN1 was seven. BN1 had sung in the choir. The highlight of the wedding, beyond all the love and life building, was the music. BN1 is a professionalclassicall singer. Groom Number 1 sings in the chorus at Gynbourne. The average standard of the congregation was semi-professional and that's allowing for me. Lovely, lovely singing.
The ceremony was followed by some wine and canapes so the village folk could pop in and say hi.
From the church to the reception in Royal Tunbridge Wells with our fellow guests. Some more wine then dinner. Good company over dinner. I met someone who work for the Red Cross sorting out Ebola. That's pretty neat. MLW engaged with some babies. Some speeches. I loved the fact that the bestman couldn't think of a single embarrassing or risque story about GN1 other than that he is a bit too keen at work.
Speechs over MLW and I undertook the most Herculean of our Herculean tasks (or perhaps most Jasonic of our Argosy or Odyssean of our Odyssey). Anyhow, the tricky bit. Get from Royal Tunbridge Wells to Yeovil without sleeping. We'd left later than expected. There were roadworks. The navigation in the last mile plagued by inexplicable bridges. We arrived at the venue for Wedding Number Two at half past midnight. Just as the venue's own Wedding Number One was chucking out.
Now the venue for Wedding Number Two is not a hotel. It's a rather lovely country house let out as a wedding venue. The distinction is crucial. Basically, it's unmanned outside weddings. It took MLW and I about half an hour to find our way in to the house and track down someone who could tell us where we sleeping. This included time spent sneaking along corridors in the attic in my stockinged feet and kilt trying not to look like an extra from Scooby Doo.
By one o'clock we were in bed.
Ah the luxury of waking up hundreds of miles from your own children knowing that someone else is cooking your breakfast (number four of the weekend). The West Country sun gently trickling in through the window, the call of a friendly chicken doing a dog impression, being able to roll over and not get up. Bliss.
After a little time we met the Duckers for breakfast. Breakfast was very nice. Certaintly the best of all the breakfasts that took place that weekend. I am known as a man who takes a keen interest in breakfasts. Well done Venue Number Two. After breakfast a small walk in the grounds of the house and then time to get kilted up.
The wedding ceremony itself was in the chapel in the grounds. All very West Country, warm stone, slightly foxed but richly loved. MLW and I had seats near the front as I was reading. Or Reading. Collosians 3:12-17. Went well I thought. It's not often you get an (intentional) laugh reading from the Bible. Well done to the RSC for the text to voice training last year.
The wedding was interfaith ( and therefore consciously religious and spiritual in a way that Wedding Number One had been unconsciously so more on that in part two I think). Like Wedding Number One it suited the couple very much.
Bride Number Two looked stunningly beautiful. She is free to out herself in the comments if she wishes although most readers will know who she is.
Cermonials done the sun came out again to join the congregation for a drink on the terrace. And some canapes, including some rather delicous caviar ones. I had some nice chats and then it was time for dinner and speechs. Speechs were charming, witty, brieg and sincere (or very well acted) and very lovely.
MLW made friends with some small children. I made friends in person with various people on LJ.
There were more drinks including quite a passable dark rum and some dancing. I lost my shoes, had a conversation about ROV's and naval warfare and a sausage inna bun.
Failed to sign the guest book because I coudn't think of anything to write. Have now thought of lots of things.
Went to bed about the same time as I had the night before.
On Monday morning MLW drove me and the Duckers across Somerset to Bristol Airport for our flight to Edinburgh. There were noticiably fewer breakfasts on the way home. Returned in time for lunch and then to be joined by a joyful Captain and perhaps the largest Lego set ever in the history of the Captain's Lego.
Weddings being a very visible sign of deep love it was good to spend so much time at them this weekend.
All in all very lovely.
