Sunday 10 February 2002
And after (Wedding Day Part II)
The entire cast (bridal party, guests, DRdJ, photographer) followed us out and around to the main lobby to set up the photos on the Grand Marble Staircase, with a few stops for "photo opportunities" on the way around Photo opportunities, hee, that amuses me immensely for some reason, but for your comfort and pleasure I will cease to put the phrase in "quote" marks.
I should add at this point, although I didn't notice on W-Day itself, that the weather was very clement - the Saturday before had freezing temperatures, had blown several gales all in different directions, with a black overcast sky, and pouring rain. This Saturday on the other hand was not freezing, merely frigging cold, breezy, occasional patches of blue sky could be seen (not enough for outdoor shots, and we had decided on indoor shots anyway), and no rain. The weekend to follow would be like the one before W-Day so we were exceedingly lucky. Maybe my karma was working in my favour for once.
The photographer was brilliant; actually now I think about it, all but all of our W-Day vendors were fantastic. Sam and I had met and confirmed the photographer the fortnight before (nothing like being prepared well in advance) and were impressed with his work portfolios and general demeanour. He was someone we could trust to take good photographs, create compact and pleasing groupings, not do anything arty or pretentious, and to make us look like us except better. His truly unique talent and selling point, however, was his wife, who really came into her own at the photo call stage of the day. She grouped and positioned people (often physically; diving into a group and gently but firmly re-positioning bodies and hands and placing X next to Y for a more charming arrangement) and placing my veil and dress/caboose into natural flowing drapes. She was most complimentary about the dress actually, raving about the design and fabric, and how beautifully flow-y and light it was, so enjoyable and easy to place into pleasing designs than "the usual stiff duchess satin meringue". Hah, yay me.
So there were pics taken of me, Sam and me, Sooz and me, Sam and Sooz and The Tramp and me, bridal party + bride's relatives, bridal party + groom's relatives, bridal party + groom's main group of friends, more of just Sam and me. It was all surprisingly effortless and speedy, and even enjoyable and considering I am famous for my absolute hatred of being photographed ...
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After all the flash flash stuff, the cast departed to travel up to the reception ven-yoo (which I shall call Quality Hotel, because that's its name, and it is). Ushers and Best Man/Woman went in one limo. Newly marrieds went into the other. The free champagne was a nice touch, as was the considerate limo driver who closed off the drivers' cab section from the squishy comfy sofa bit. Even though the limo driver drove at a below-speed-limit pace, we arrived at QH way too soon. And, incidentally, before just about everyone else. Talk about unorthodox. Still, the Best Man and Woman and photographer were there, so we could check out our rooms (Honeymoon Suite v . nice indeed), have Sooz help me fix up my hair and make up, have a drink or two, maybe some more photos.
No sign whatsoever of my parents, or even my brothers, which pissed me off mildly, as I had said that I'd really like if they got to QH as soon as they could (either in their hired car or a cab; they'd refused to go in the other limo with the ushers and Sooz and The Tramp) as I would like some more photos with my Mummy and Daddy. But they didn't turn up until the actual reception, by which time the photographer had left. Turned out later they had gone back into Belfast after the ceremony to sit in a coffee shop and drink tea for three hours. Whatever.
The reception itself was due to commence at 1500 hrs or so, and so between the ceremony and the reception itself, there was some time to kill, most of it spent in the bar. Although not strictly planned, it was actually really pleasant relaxing with My Husband and Sooz et al, chatting with arriving guests, and having our respective outfits (frocks, suits) and rings admired, that kind of thing.
Finally all guests and recalcitrant family members had turned up; the Bridal Party and parents were herded into the reception room and placed in Correct Receiving Line Order by QH's bossy little wedding planner man*. I just laughed. Received guests. When all guests were seated, bossy little wedding planner man herded Sam and I back outside the reception room, so we could make a grand entrance into the room we had just left, so we could be formally introduced to the same people we had just greeted. The logic of all that and the bossy little wedding planner man totally astounded Sam and me, and Sam was looking a little wild-eyed and annoyed at all the herding, but I was only capable of giggling hysterically.
*bossy little wedding planner man was actually tall and rather gorgeous in a poncy movie-star way; just the type to be working in a hotel/restaurant whilst waiting for his big break as a serious actor.
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Finally Sam and I were allowed to sit. "Sit". We had decided - against "tradition" (pffft) to have all the the speeches/toasts in one go, prior to the meal, so that that part of the proceedings would not drag on and on like a Japanese parliamentary debate and vote. There were no embarrassing speeches - I had threatened The Tramp with ritual albeit messy disembowelment if he strayed at all into TMI tales of ex-girlfriends / embarrassing drunken montage / general Best Man abuse territory. He was seriously pissed off at me and probably wondered why his best mate was marrying such a humourless boring killjoy .... But I hate that kind of thing, really really hate it, and believe that at our age it's undignified and degrading and plain stupid. Anyway, I learned later that Sam had given him pretty much the exact same instructions. Heh.
Ernest's speech fell rather flat as he hadn't prepared properly and he's not a natural public speaker (actually, he's more of a natural non-speaker) and he left out a lot that he meant to say but it didn't matter. Richard's speech was sweet in a somewhat lecturing way, but he said all the right sort of stuff about how great it was to see two people coming together yadda yadda. Sooz's speech made me sniff for the very first time that day. It was terribly complimentary about me, about Sam, and how proud she was of me and the whole moving hemisphere thing. Sam made a speech too, which he'd prepared the night before and it hit just the right note. I didn't make a speech - I would have quite liked to have said a few words with Sam, but figured beforehand that there would have been enough talk and I wouldn't be in the mood anyway. I had figured absolutely correct as it turned out, and anyway I was able to go around to people during/after the meal and say what I wanted to say personally, which suited me and the moment much better.
Martini Asti is horridly sweet and truly truly vile, and I wish I'd asked the parents to bring over a case of Seaview Sparkling Pinot Chardonnay. The QH was unbendingly retentive about its wine list, so the Asti bilge was all we were allowed to have, but I'm sure if I'd thrown a big enough wobbly I could have got my way. But none of that mattered to me - if however you are getting married or know of someone who is getting married, and they are going to be serving champagne oops I mean sparkling wine for the toasts, make sure it's a good variety/line. People only need about 3/4 of a glass for tiny sips anyway.
Then we had food. Mmmmm food. I was starving - so much for the pale anxious bride stereotype; this particular bride was scoffing and quaffing most happily. When planning out the meal, we'd gone through a few versions/permutations, until I got so mad at spending time quibbling over trivia that we decided on a single starter and main (with special diet people - other than gluten free, as it was all gluten free of course - being individually catered for) with a choice of dessert as were not having a Cake (oh and no one did notice that there was no Cake, so there you go):-
Soup: Cream of Wild Mushroom with Brandy and Black Pepper
Main: Poached Glenburn Salmon with [some kind of sauce]; seasonal vegetables
(nb: seasonal vegetables means 19 different ways with potatoes; plus carrots and broccoli)
Wines: Rosemount Chardonnay and Rosemount Cabernet Sauvignon
Desserts: Pavlova; Strawberries and Cream
Coffee, Tea and Chocolates
After dinner (and occasionally during, although the service was pretty swift, but mostly at the coffee stage) I wandered from table to table to chat with guests etc, who did seem to be having a really good time. I was most pleased that I had sat my brothers with Don and Leigh, and Connor and Becky, as they were having an especially good time. I felt kinda bad that Sooz had to sit with me at the "Bridal Table" instead of at one of the fun tables - hell I would have preferred to have been at one of the fun tables, so long as Sam was there to - but we hadn't been able to make any unusual/different table arrangements due to room constraints (and also bossy little wedding planner man).
Sam and I had decided previously that 1800 hrs was the earliest possible time as which it would be polite to leave, so at about 1815 hrs we made our goodbyes to each group of guests, again ducking from table to table, this time together. And then we raced up to the Honeymoon Suite and ....
Some hours later we wandered back down to the bar, now in jeans and tshirts, to see if anyone was around and maybe we could buy them a drink. Practically everyone was still there, still drinking and chatting, whcih made me happy, you know, that they hadn't all bolted as soon as they possibly could. Don and Leigh had left, as Leigh was 9 months pregnant (ie due any day), as had Connor and Becky, to get back to their wee girl Sophie.
As for us buying anyone else drinks - totally out of the question. Everyone bought us drinks. And then some more and some more after that and then Melissa led a raid on the local McD's and KFC which we ate in The Tramp and The Lady's room (I had KFC super large fries), and then we went back to the bar and had a few more drinks, and then at about midnight Sam and I went back up to bed. And that was The Day.
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We both had a wonderful Day, but were so happy for it to be over. To be married at last, which was the whole point, and to be able to talk about/do non-wedding-related things. II had heard that a lot of brides get a kind of post-partum depression thing going when its all over, because of having put so much into Having the Perfect Day, and then the wedding magic is all over and waaaaah sob wail. Our main objective had been to get married, maybe celebrate a little, and we'd done it. We were really married. And so very very happy.
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Jacuzzis are the best invention and absolutely necessary for the perfect honeymoon; as is a full Ulster fry for breakfast every morning.