What a weekend! And what a wedding! Congratulations Mr and Mrs Hayes! Days and nights have passed in a frenzy of wedding preparation, family meals, errands, drinks, meeting great new people from around the world and all interspersed with a huge amount of love and laughter. It was Clare's sisters big day on Saturday, down on the farm in sunny Surrey. Given that she lives in California, she really did pull off quite a feat of wedding planning and logistics, by turning a few bare barns into the ultimate wedding venue.
There was quite literally a military plan of attack. All manner of boxes and deliveries were arriving as per the carefully detailed, annotated and labelled source of all knowledge - known as "The Binder".
After meeting up for a lovely meal with both families on Thursday night at a quintessential English pub, tasks were assigned to the team of bridesmaids and associated dogs bodies such as myself. Given Clare's and my climbing cv, we were tasked with hanging a hundred lanterns from the old beams in the barn - with invisible fishing line. It turned out to be rather fiddly tying knots in a line that you can barely see, but the barn was soon transformed into Anna's vision.
Then there was a bit of sign putting-up and lots of sweeping, moving, carrying, table laying etc etc...
But by about 8pm we finally had a very funky and unique looking wedding venue...
Complete with a very comprehensively stocked bar to ensure that the supply of signature cocktails could flow all night and that no one was ever found standing with their champagne glass only half full.
Once the last dinner place had been set, the #teambride bridesmaids departed for dinner together at The Old Hall and I joined the gentlemen at the Hotel for some well-earned food and drink and another late night.
Next day, and the place looked even better with the final touches in place (the Wedding Cake had been hand crafted and travelled in especially from France!)
After the intimate service, which was very well officiated by Andy (and the powers invested in him!), the bride and groom led us over to the 'chicken shed' for a delicious curry after a showering of confetti.
All the places were beautifully laid, complete with golden farmyard animals...
And then, after some fantastic speeches and even a pub quiz, it was back to the main barn, where everyone was eager for some dancing and cocktails. (Oooo, just look at those lanterns!!)
In between dancing on the packed dance floor, we took a breather every now and then so that Clare and Pat could give Bob and I a thrashing at table football or air hockey!
It's too hard to summarise such a day in words, but take it from me, it was really quite some party...
And as all good things have to end at some point, all too soon, taxis ferried us all back to our various hotels and while the hardcore carried on, pretty soon everyone began to crash out.
The sun continued to shine as we said our farewells to the new Mr and Mrs the next day and after a bit of carnage clear up, waved them off on their honeymoon before travelling ourselves, to Fort Martin for a well needed rest and and overdue sleep...
Great days..
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