I feel compelled to try to vocalise (in print!) the wedding experience of this week. I’ve never been married , I’ve been to a scattering of weddings; all beautiful and perfect for the respective couple; all memorable for their uniqueness; investment of energy; time and thought; money; love; passion; location etc.
I don’t know where I would begin if I had to plan a wedding (even assuming ££££ were no object) so I have great admiration for anyone who has made the commitment to get married and then kept it together enough to make all the planning decisions required to present for themselves and to their family and friends their representation of ‘the perfect day’. For me the thought of picking THE dress; never mind doing so several months before wearing it; is enough to give me a minor panic attack.
I can see the appeal though having planned a garden party or two over a 6 month period, planning props and stage setting the garden; liaising with invitees to get some momentum going re costume and theme; making costumes; organising the music etc etc, but a wedding is a much bigger deal.
Maybe though it’s a much bigger adventure.
I’ve always thought that if I had a spare £10,£20, £30, £50 thousand in my bank there would be a million things I would feel the need to spend it on first… getting the chimney rebuilt; replacing my car for something reliable; clearing my immense credit card debt; finishing decorating the house after 12 years; filling the potholes in the drive; felling a few of the overgrown trees in the garden etc etc. Maybe I’m just not the marrying kind.
Fortunately, my nephew and his beautiful, now wife, are definitely the marrying kind. And having been on the periphery of privy to the planning I realise now that whatever the budget, it’s not just an expensive day; it’s a period of months/years of excitement; discussion; research; adventure; decision-making; stage setting; engaging with friends; window shopping; shopping; preparing; making things; talking about it; building excitement over it; looking forward to it; and sharing your joy with everyone you know. The day itself is a culmination of a long period of time and a lifetime of memories made.
So this week I attended ‘THE perfect wedding’
two people whose destiny it is to be together forever
gorgeous bride with THE perfect dress 
groom with really funny friends who know how to recount a story 
really attractive best friends to be bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls etc 
the most idyllic location and some hot line to mother nature to provide the best weather 
caterers who make food to die for 
a cake that is a work of art 
free-flowing Pimms and lager 
alcoholic wedding favours 
the most delightful bunch of family members and friends to share your day 
Oh my god that cake 😍😍
I know!!!!