No.3

I'm really enjoying watching the second series of 'The Musketeers' on Friday nights, not just for the swashbuckling action scenes and wonderful costume design, but because most of the female characters have long curly hair. I love to see how the updos have been done and whether I can recreate them for my next wedding attendance.
            As I woke yesterday morning it was clear to see that we wouldn't be seeing a lot that day as the mist lay thickly along the Moray coastline. I knew immediately that I wasn't going to wear my hair down as misty weather is , as all us curly girls know, a formula for a bad hair day. Curls turn to frizz in the blink of an eye and for anyone who had the joy of watching 'Crystal tipps and Alistair' back in the late 60s, you'll know exactly what I mean. So kirby grips on hand I attempted to to a twisty Musketeer lady hairdo and finished it off with a swoosh of 'weatherproof' hairspray and a prayer.
This was Helen and Paul's big day, both living in Banff they had decided on the Banff Springs for their nuptials.
                As you know, it's a struggle for me to come up with a new dress that the folks at the Springs won't have seen before. But low and behold, just as I was sitting having my morning tea, the post came. I had been e-baying through the week and won a Jacques Vert, slate grey ,chiffon dress for a snip. Thanks to all those hard working postmen, here it was a few days earlier than expected. I got Phoebe to open the wrapping as I'd just done my nails and was understandably incapacitated. Once dry, I was able to pop my new aquisition unto Delilah my tailors dummy, who with a bit of padding to the bust area and a bit of polestyrene carving to the waist is pretty much a scary doppleganger of me that stands in our livingroom next to my craft corner. Just a few minor alterations ( yes, I have been watching The Great British Sewing Bee) and my new dress was ready to roll.
                  We arrived at the Springs only to find the the front entrance was blocked by huge barriers and building work was underway to create a new front entrance. You would imagine that any bride would be a bit put out at their big day being marred by this, but not Helen. She and Paul had met about a year ago, both having been in previous relationships and obviously decided to grab love with both hands. Here they were a year later tying the knot and that was all that mattered to them, to have their loved ones around them and enjoy a great day.
                    The Moray suite is a lovely space that seats about 40 people and has a wonderful view out over the sea. The room was set up with sheer crimson ties on the back of the chairs, unsurprising as of course this was Valentine's day and really, what other colour would do?
                  Stuart, the bestman, had been at school with Robin since P5, and even though I'd never met him and Gwen, his wife, before, we found out that we had heaps in common , especially Gwen at our joint tedium of living with a sports fanatic ( I mean watching ,not doing, here!). Thankfully Gwen was in the same position as me, being left on her own to sit in the ceremony, so we gladly chummed up and went through together.
                    The flower girls were Helen's daughter Cara and Paul's, Holly, both about 6 years old and dressed in antique cream with red fur stoles. Sacha, Helen's eldest , also in red,walked her Mum in, both looking beautiful. As soon as Helen walked in, I realised that I knew her from back in the days of going to Playgroup and nursery with Caleb and Phoebe and a lot of the guests were folks that I knew from that time.
                         I do love the idea of not having name tags on the tables, allowing folks to sit with whoever they feel comfortable, and it worked really well. At a do a few years back, all of the tables had two empty seats at them and the Bride and Groom moved to a new table at each stage of the meal, so they would get time to spend with all the guests,one of my all time favourite wedding seating ideas.
                    We had very pleasant company at our table , a very musical bunch. Helen's Uncle Gerry sings in a local band and is a fairly well known local celebrity, though you wouldn't know it from speaking to him, a very unassuming and pleasant guy. His brother Graham was sitting next to me and is a vegetarian sound engineer. I use the word vegetarian loosley as he did admit that he felt sausages were an honorary vegetable! His mushroom tagliatelle looked delicious though and made me wish that I had the courage to ask for the veggie option. I have tried this on occasion, just as I liked what was on offer, but am wary now after the owner of the Fife Lodge hotel a while ago assumed I was vegetarian and bought in Quorn sausages ,specially for me to have in the evening with the teas ,while everyone else was having bacon butties. I had to confess to her, at the next wedding we went to there, that I was indeed an omnivore when she told me that she had asked the chef to make a special veggie option just for me!
                    The Valentine's theme was very tastefully covered with bowls of floating red roses and a heart shaped cake. The huge icy trees from last week's wedding were still insitu, so I can anly assume that they belong to the Springs and that Gary and Linda didn't leave them behind from last week.
Paul spoke meaningfully of his love for Helen and his thanks for all and Stuart gave them a box of essentials to cope with married life, including sandpaper to rub off their rough edges and a packet of Starbursts for when they needed an extra burst of energy.
                   Obviously a popular couple, a huge number of evening guests arrived and filled the dance floor as we did the Grand march and kicked off our shoes when the bunions got too much to bear. We knew a lot of the folks there, previous and future weddingees so had a lovely time chatting and dancing till it was time to phone J.Js and hit the road.
                   It was so lovely to spend such a relaxing and happy day with everyone. All, I can say is that if the past year is anything to go by, the future ones can only be wonderful for Mr and Mrs Nash.