The Wedding Breakfast
At some point in the proceedings I took my veil off as I didn’t want it getting in the way whilst I ate. It was only as I unclipped it from my hair that Nick actually realised I was wearing a veil. He had just been aware of the overall effect and not actually computed the fact that I had one, so he was naturally a bit disappointed when I took it off, having only just realised it was there. Nevertheless, I plonked it on the floor with gay abandon and am very thankful that my new sister-in-law was savvy enough to later pick it up and pack it away for me.
I had been ravenously hungry (for about a week) but when the food turned up I discovered that I was not the slightest bit interest in eating a thing. I later had to ask people if the meal was ok as I had no recollection of the taste of anything, even though I know I had put some food in my mouth at some point. We had grilled salmon fillet on asparagus tips with lemon sauce to start. I remember that the waiting staff had all come in with plates and stood around our table. They waited until they were all in place and then with perfect synchronisation they all set the plates in front of us in unison. I was so impressed that I hit Nick on the arm and told him that this was why we’d spent all our money on this place. I guess it’s the little things…!
We had an iPod in the corner of the room pumping out a playlist of favourite love songs submitted by our guests (and most of Twitter!) which as a great bit of background noise beneath the chatter. As everyone tucked into their food, Nick and I sat back and surveyed the scene: everyone we love and care about in one room, chatting, laughing and getting on with each other, all on our account. It was a really lovely atmosphere and we just sat there for a bit soaking it all up, chatting about the day so far, marvelling at our own luck for having such a brilliant day and amazing people to share it with. It was a fantastic but surreal moment, insomuch as it was the first time that day that we had been surrounded by everybody but without them all looking at us. We were looking at them for a change, and we felt very loved and honoured to have them all there.
The main course was blade of beef with potato fondant and a medley of vegetables. Again, according to those I asked, it was apparently delicious, but I have no recollection of eating any of it. I do remember Dan giving me thumbs up across the table for seating his wife Mel next to my Dad as they were both lost deep in conversation together about rock and roll. I remember looking over at Nat and telling Nick I thought she was beautiful and Nick telling me he thought she was amazing. I remember looking around the table and noticing that the chaps had all taken off their jackets and loosened their ties now that they could relax.
Between main course and dessert, Nick and I went outside with the photographers to do our couple shots. Spots of rain were beginning to fall. Jordan took us on a whirlwind expedition around the grounds, accompanied by Nicky, his second shooter and Jack, Nick’s nephew who was filming the whole day for us and getting tips on how to turn pro like Jordan. I’m rubbish at having my photo taken and know how stretched my smile must have looked by the end of it, but it was great to have Jordan shouting things for us to do at us. I think we kissed more in that 20 minute photo session than we have in 6 years!
There was another group of people having their pictures taken in the garden and as we walked past they said, “This’ll be you in another 50 years time.” I wished their parents a happy golden wedding anniversary and they in turn offered us their congratulations. Nat came out to tell us dessert was served, which was our queue to go much faster because I didn’t want to miss out on the sweet stuff! The rain droplets became heavier and more frequent. It started to rain properly just as my stilletoes sank into the grass, and at the same time the sun came bursting through in a glorious bright orange sunset. Jordan and Nicky started running round shouting that there had to be a rainbow somewhere. In the end we couldn’t find it, so with our smiles exhausted and our lips chapped from all the snogging, we headed back inside for pudding.
Pudding was a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. I don’t even like cheesecake but at the menu tasting some months earlier, I had declared this to be divine. I was, therefore, disappointed to find that mine had melted slightly because we’d been outside so long. Nevertheless, I did actually manage to wolf it down and I made a start on my Mum’s as well. By the time we arrived back in the room for our dessert, our guests had started drifting around seats and mingling. People started coming up to me to marvel at the place names I’d made. What I had thought was quite a cool little idea (to add a specially selected quote to the back of each individual’s place tag) turned out to be a smash hit success! I was really thrilled that people had noticed them and very glad that I had taken time to do it.
Between dessert and coffee, we did the whole cake cutting thing. This proved particularly amusing as neither of us actually understand this tradition and we definitely had no idea how you’re supposed to do it. Jordan just laughed at me when I asked him for advice on cutting technique and merrily snapped away whilst I threatened to stab Nick if he didn’t help. I remember looking at our simple monochrome cake and thinking it was very pretty. I also remembering wondering if we were meant to literally just cut it, or cut a whole slice from it. We opted for just slicing it once and then walking off, leaving the knife precariously jutting out the side of the cake.
That mission having been accomplished, I then noticed that a large frame full of photos of Nick through the ages had been propped up on the radiator next to the wedding cake. Nick’s niece, Becks, had put it together for us to keep and for a while she, Nat and I sat around pointing and laughing at the photos. It was a really sweet present and I loved having it on display throughout the rest of the wedding day for guests to look at.
I was then free to float between tables and chat to people as they enjoyed their coffee and petit-fours (FYI – small chocolates. I had no idea.). My girls from uni insisted that I open the special present that they had got me. Nick’s aunties all wanted to sit and chat and bestow gifts on me that I had no idea what to do with. I made sure I had time to speak to my grandparents and check that they had enjoyed themselves before they left. My uncle was amazed by the quotes on everyone’s name cards and repeatedly wanted to know where I had got them from. Nick was deep in conversation with his friends from school. I finally got round to chatting with my godmother and old school friends who I don’t get to see nearly enough anymore.
And whilst all this was going on and I was being a social butterfly, everyone else was busy on my behalf. The venue people very stealthily removed the table centrepiece to the reception room (I didn’t even realise they’d done this until much later when I was up there); Lyndsay tidied all the speech paraphernalia and things I’d left lying around into a bag so that I didn’t lose anything; Dan collected up gifts and had them deposited in our room; Ben went off to set up the disco equipment; my Dad was busily greeting evening guests in the bar; and at the helm of this was my Mum who was commanding the entire operation and giving orders to anyone who looked like they might be idle.
She worked like a trooper all day and it was only afterwards that I realised I had forfeited all responsibility when I had left to go to the hairdressers that morning and she had (almost) quietly gone about making sure everything was as I had described it to her and that the day went like clockwork. We may have our differences, but she’s also pretty epic and thrives in these types of situations. I'm sure that without her directing operations, the day would not have been nearly as perfect as it turned out to be.
Coming up on Wednesday, the final installment...The Party!
Yay! I've finall caught up on your reports. I'm loving reading about all the details of your day and seeing it all come together, after all your hard work and planning. Can't wait to read about the party! :0) xx
Posted by: Gemma | Monday, November 01, 2010 at 02:47 PM
I just love your photographs. They make me smile!
I love the pomp of being served at the same time too!
Posted by: anna and the ring | Tuesday, November 02, 2010 at 03:45 PM