The Ceremony
Apr. 26th, 2014 04:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sawylThanks to the mater's insistence that we leave at least forty minutes before, we arrived at the Register Office well ahead of time. I was able to talk J through the basics of pater's video camera — a task he'd tried to lumber me with! — and we installed ourselves in the rather charming little waiting room where I met my prospective brother-in-law's grandmother and J talked football with the groom's father.
However, our early arrival meant that I was able to get a few decent pictures of Bea, her bridesmaid, and my father arriving in style.
Even I, who consider myself cynical and hard-hearted, have to admit I shared my sister's brief moment of tearyness as they were coming down the steps. For all that I frequently pretend to be rude about them and even though I don't see them nearly as much as I should, I love my family to bits and it's moments like this when I see them all together, looking so happy, that really bring it all home to me in the very best, lower-lip wobbling way.
I have no idea what Jade has just said, but experience tells me it's probably extremely inappropriate and very likely obscene!
My sister, surrounded by her children.
After a certain amount of milling around, we got the nod from the extremely helpful woman on the door that the time had come to move upstairs into the reception area. It was at this point that my parents revealed why they were adamant that I give a reading as part of the service: because everyone who'd been asked had refused, leaving me the sole person to stand up and speak as part of the service. Yikes!
I particularly like Bill's expression — he's looking into the camera as if to say, "So, Sam, what the hell are we doing here?"
The ceremony was very nicely done — simple, straight-forward, with registrars setting just the right tone — and my sister, despite her much-asserted dislike of classical music, had picked Pachelbel's cannon for the introduction. Happily for me I managed to stand up, strike my pose, and recite my piece from memory without screwing up — my sister said afterwards that she was terrified I'd hesitate and forget my words — and it wasn't until I sat back down again that it occurred to me that I ought to feel nervous.
The couple signing the register
Both sets of parents surrounding their children as they sign the register
The Registrar hands over the all-important marriage certificate.
After that, it was downstairs and into the medieval courtyard for a few group photos. Fortunately, although I appeared in one or two of the official shots, I was behind the camera for all these, so at least you're spared that...
Bea and Andrew pose next to the suitably ancient wooden door to the Manor House.
The happy couple and their various offspring. From left to right: Jade, Bea, Kai, Andrew, with Charlie just about to run out of the bottom of the shot.
The couple, their children, parents, grandmother, uncle, and nephew. Fortunately, no siblings were required for this one...
My sister and some of her friends. From left to right: Amanda, Becky, Bea, and Nat. I think it's the first time I've seen Natalie for well over twenty years!
Two generations of friends in this mother and daughter shot: Jade with Bea and Taylor with Nat.
With all that out of the way, it was just a matter of stepping round to the front for my sister and her husband to drive off to the reception, for the others to pick up their cars.
Definitely better than a Ford Fiesta, especially now that someone has convinced Kai to travel with someone else...
It's a good thing they make such a fetching couple, because Coventry's less-than-beautiful skyline isn't really giving them any help!
A last look, just as the chauffeur is about to close the door...
Not for us, though, the glamour of a limo. Rather a taxi driver who wasn't entirely sure of the route and whose satnav routed him a long way round to get to Baginton with Bill, also uncertain of his route, stuck to his tail the whole way.
However, our early arrival meant that I was able to get a few decent pictures of Bea, her bridesmaid, and my father arriving in style.
Even I, who consider myself cynical and hard-hearted, have to admit I shared my sister's brief moment of tearyness as they were coming down the steps. For all that I frequently pretend to be rude about them and even though I don't see them nearly as much as I should, I love my family to bits and it's moments like this when I see them all together, looking so happy, that really bring it all home to me in the very best, lower-lip wobbling way.
I have no idea what Jade has just said, but experience tells me it's probably extremely inappropriate and very likely obscene!
My sister, surrounded by her children.
After a certain amount of milling around, we got the nod from the extremely helpful woman on the door that the time had come to move upstairs into the reception area. It was at this point that my parents revealed why they were adamant that I give a reading as part of the service: because everyone who'd been asked had refused, leaving me the sole person to stand up and speak as part of the service. Yikes!
I particularly like Bill's expression — he's looking into the camera as if to say, "So, Sam, what the hell are we doing here?"
The ceremony was very nicely done — simple, straight-forward, with registrars setting just the right tone — and my sister, despite her much-asserted dislike of classical music, had picked Pachelbel's cannon for the introduction. Happily for me I managed to stand up, strike my pose, and recite my piece from memory without screwing up — my sister said afterwards that she was terrified I'd hesitate and forget my words — and it wasn't until I sat back down again that it occurred to me that I ought to feel nervous.
The couple signing the register
Both sets of parents surrounding their children as they sign the register
The Registrar hands over the all-important marriage certificate.
After that, it was downstairs and into the medieval courtyard for a few group photos. Fortunately, although I appeared in one or two of the official shots, I was behind the camera for all these, so at least you're spared that...
Bea and Andrew pose next to the suitably ancient wooden door to the Manor House.
The happy couple and their various offspring. From left to right: Jade, Bea, Kai, Andrew, with Charlie just about to run out of the bottom of the shot.
The couple, their children, parents, grandmother, uncle, and nephew. Fortunately, no siblings were required for this one...
My sister and some of her friends. From left to right: Amanda, Becky, Bea, and Nat. I think it's the first time I've seen Natalie for well over twenty years!
Two generations of friends in this mother and daughter shot: Jade with Bea and Taylor with Nat.
With all that out of the way, it was just a matter of stepping round to the front for my sister and her husband to drive off to the reception, for the others to pick up their cars.
Definitely better than a Ford Fiesta, especially now that someone has convinced Kai to travel with someone else...
It's a good thing they make such a fetching couple, because Coventry's less-than-beautiful skyline isn't really giving them any help!
A last look, just as the chauffeur is about to close the door...
Not for us, though, the glamour of a limo. Rather a taxi driver who wasn't entirely sure of the route and whose satnav routed him a long way round to get to Baginton with Bill, also uncertain of his route, stuck to his tail the whole way.
