Phoebe was a tree this year, as well as a munchkin, in the Banff Academy's production of 'The Wizard of Oz'.
"There's no place like home...there's no place like home".......
"I've changed my mind", are not the words I really wanted to hear from my daughter Ellie about six months before she and Conor were to tie the knot. My initial panic was replaced with a smile when she explained that it was the venue she was talking about. Originally we thought that the camp where they had met down near Greenoch, was a great choice, plenty of accommodation, huge living spaces and the perfect scenery with rolling hills for an outdoor service.
But there really is no place like home, so the plan changed and Mr and Mrs Woods got married in the Mausoleum in Duff house woods, with all their family and friends in attendance. Meg, Conor's sister and her friend, Sarah, sang a beautiful song, as the schedule was being signed, called 'Feels like home', by Edwina Hayes.
Here are some of the words
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where
I come from
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
Being home isn't always about a place, it's about people too, finding that perfect person that you feel comfortable with, you can relax with, be yourself with, that you miss when you are away from them for any length of time.That person who loves you in your pyjamas as much as when you are dressed up to the nine's for that special night out...that's home.
I have a dress that is 'home' to me, I love it with a passion. I first wore it Barry and Kelly McIntosh's wedding ( Robin's 18th) at the Fife lodge in Banff in 2009. I felt so good in it, that I was amazed that people didn't turn and stare or congratulate Robin on his wife's wonderful taste. It is dark brown dip dyed silk ruched chiffon, over a silk slip and is so comfortable to wear I can't tell you. It glides over any unforgiving lumps and bumps and if I could get off with it I would wear it to every wedding as it washes like a dream and irons up perfectly.
We drove up to Duff house and parked in the outer car park as the one close to the house was totally choc-a-bloc with cars, we had hit on a day when there was a picnic with loads of families, bouncy castles and activities. Thankfully the weather, which had been a bit dodgy in the morning was clearing up nicely and it was a perfect day for them.
Allan, the groom , was standing at the bottom of the magnificent stairs that lead up to the house with Bob, his best man and older brother and his two groomsmen.
Robin's best man at our wedding almost 23 years ago was a Bob too, so I immediately warmed to him. Everyone should have a Bob in their lives and ours is still a huge support to Robin all these years later. And me, I've just had a message from him on FB helping me out with a problem!)
Duff house is a wonderful asset in our area, owned by Historic Scotland, it homes some magnificent artifacts and is used as an art gallery as well. As I've mentioned before, we have done the house tour many times and attended exhibitions and functions in it's beautiful rooms, always spotting something new that we've missed before and revisiting favourite pieces like the Famille rose frog that I love dearly.
The room where the ceremony was taking place is called the South Drawing room and hosts the most amazing tapestries on it's walls and magnificent chandelier as it's centre piece.
In the windows were ornate antique flower arrangements of cream and dusky pink roses.
You may think that this would be reason enough to enjoy a wedding at Duff House, but an extra pleasure for me is that Stephen, the pianist, is a complete joy to listen to as he tinkers away on the grand piano in the drawing room and as I come in to the room he is practicing for the arrival of the guests. He floats seamlessly from one tune to the other hardly needing to look at the music and even when the pipes started playing to pipe the groom and his groomsmen in, he manages to find the key and play along softly as an accompaniment. I would pay good money to sit and listen to him, anytime.
The two bridesmaids proceeded the bride wearing dusky lilac full length dresses in ruched chiffon ( who's in style now then?). Emma walked in on her Dad's arm, to Stephen playing Canon in D, looking beautiful in her white strapless ruched silk dress that fitted tightly down to her thighs and flared out in a swirl of organza. In her hair and on her waist were diamonds and pearls giving a small touch of perfectly placed sparkle.
Robin spoke of their long romance over the last eleven years and how they have now decided the time was right to move in together to the home they bought at the beginning of this year and have been doing up with much help from Emma's Dad.. This would be such a special time for them, to come home from honeymoon and start this new stage in their lives together as Mr and Mrs Hale.
Robin also used an analogy that he often speaks of, from the book of Ecclesiastes, that a three fold cord is hard to break. Using the picture of two people together being a stronger than one, but a three fold cord being stronger still. When you've found someone you love, that brings a support and strength to your lives, but a third element, whether it be faith or family and friends is even stronger still.
We tried to photo bomb Emma and Allan's first photos as man and wife as we came down the steps of the house, and after a quick congratulations we headed off to post the schedule through the door of the registry office and drop the car home, heading back to the Springs in a JJs taxi for stage two of our day.
My phone made a little noise as I walk through the foyer welcoming me to the Banff Springs and asked if I wanted to connect to the wifi. Made me feel like part of the family in a comforting kind of way, I'm there so often, it knows my every move!
Jillian came up to say hi and she and Robin discuss who's doing what during the meal.Jillian says she'll compare if Robin does grace, so thankfully we didn't need a Harry Hill 'fight' scenario to work that one out!
We're invited through by the lovely Nikita, for a welcome drink of prosecco and a mini clotted cream and strawberry scone ...or is that 'scowne'.... we relaxed on the fabulous sofas reading a Knock news as guests enjoyed the unusually warm and calm day and took advantage of the cast iron table and chair sets that are just outside the main door on the new patio areas.
Jillian ushered us all through for a chance to congratulate Allan and Emma again in their line up. They were both so relaxed, really enjoying seeing all their guests and making me feel very welcome as their wedding crasher.
Emma's Dad gave a heartfelt speech, thanking everyone and saying how loath he was to give Emma away and he hoped that she would be as good a wife as she was a daughter. Allan spoke really well and as he turned to Emma to tell her how much she meant to him, we all got a bit caught by surprise by how emotional it all was.
Bob took his turn and asked us all to open the envelopes on our tables that held a photo of Allan as a baby, just to show us that he did have a double chin at one stage.
Brothers as best men are extra special. They know each other inside out and have been through a lot of ups and downs together. I always admire those who take the opportunity to say things that otherwise might be left unsaid for a lifetime and yet, mean so much once they are 'out there'. Bob did this beautifully leading us perfectly in to our meal together.
We had prawn cocktail or fruit and then soup. I'm afraid I decided to give the soup a miss as I knew I wouldn't enjoy my main course. I had forgotten there was a vegetarian option and was pleasantly surprised by my delicious plate of stir fry veg and noodles.
We had a bit of a shock when one of the poor waitresses , who had been feeling a bit out of sorts but like a trouper kept on working, passed out on the floor next to our table. We rushed over and Jillian decided that it was best to phone an ambulance as she was conscious but in some pain. The ambulance came amazingly quickly, within a few minutes and reassuringly, she looked as though she was going to be alright. I was very impressed by how caring all the staff at the Springs were to her, reassuring her and making her feel comfortable.
Getting back to my seat, Jillian handed Robin his jacket that had been used for a pillow (well, he has to have his uses) and I found that pudding had been served by the remaining efficient staff. Missing soup had been a great idea, as I managed my sticky toffee pudding with gusto!
We retired to the foyer for a stretch out and a chance to watch all the guests who were coming in for the evening dance. Emma came over for a chat and allowed me to take a full length photo of her in her dress. Wasn't she stunning...did I describe her correctly?
Emma told me that she and Allan will be heading off to Mexico on Monday for a few weeks of hard earned chill out, something they were both really looking forward to. We joked that they would have nothing left to talk about as their main topic of conversation had been 'The wedding' for the past two years. This would be especially true with Emma's Mum, Moira, who had done a huge amount of the planning and organising.
Lost in music are a band I have never heard of, so when Emma told me they had booked them to come up from Dundee, I did a quick google and found their website. They are an all singing all dancing group of musicians who will do whatever you want. As large as eleven members or as small as you like, they will do themed gigs with multi changes of costume in between.
We heard the music start and went through to watch the grand march, nearly all the guests joining in, it was a great start to the evening.
Allan and Emma danced to 'The one' by Kodaline and I snapped away like Macduff paparazzi, trying to get that perfect picture.
We had a great day and met some lovely people, of course surrounded by our Springs family that make our lives so easy when we attend a wedding there.
For me, my home is where Robin is, but more importantly because of our faith, it's where God puts us and enjoying the relationships with all these wonderful people that He brings in to our lives.
I know that Allan and Emma have found a home in each other and I wish them so much happiness as they move in together and a new found strength for the good times and hard times ahead.
Because, as Dorothy says,
"There's no place like home...there's no place like home".
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