The Great Day

What does one expect of a wedding? Perfect weather, idyllic surroundings, smiling happy people, loads of genuine warmth and affection, a few happy tears, good food and drink, amusing recollections, riotous dancing, and all the other elements that go to make up a lasting memory. Every box was duly ticked. We've got used to mainly church weddings that are formally structured in content and procedure, so that the expectation of a civil procedure is that it is a fairly quick legal formality. Not so here: the celebrant was a long-standing friend who personalised the ceremony; there were some pertinent readings, though not from a religious source, one from each godmother (how did that English accent steal the show!); Very personal public statements. of love and commitment from the happy couple; the only thing missing was congregational singing, though music was provided to cover the signing of the registers by Heidi playing a solo oboe, beautifully, of Robbie Williams song, Angels.

One of the memorable highlights was when Ben and Clodagh led the evening's dancing as is seemingly expected of the bride and groom, but they turned it almost into a "Strictly ..." moment have danced a selection of ballroom steps, suddenly after a frenzy of jacket. removing launched into a hip-hop demonstration, quite brilliantly.

The couple were staying the night at the residence, and so instead of sending them off, we were all eventually turfed out, for a 50-minute drive home, where ... we collapsed into bed.