Wedding Day

This is my niece Katie and her new husband Neil, who were married today in the most perfect celebration for such an occasion as I could imagine. It seems like the blink of an eye since I drove her and her mum back from the hospital days after Katie was born, yet somehow a quarter century has passed by and she has grown into a capable, thoughtful, determined and kind young lady, and is also mother to two lovely children. I wish she and Neil continued happiness in their life together.
The day itself started with a short and very personal and sweet ceremony at the beautiful Garden Station at Langley, followed by a constant supply of scones with jam and cream, pots of tea in vintage cups, finger sandwiches, pimm's and mini sponge cakes (it was all so terribly British!) . Later in the afternoon we all congregated at Katie's maternal grandmother's farm to continue the celebrations in a festival marquee. Dinner was served onto large wooden platters having been cooked in the kitchen tent. Food was a delicious Northumbrian-North African fusion. Speeches were informal and a free for all, then the earthy band grooved away into the night as the sun set; the two dozen or so kids who were there ran around, jumping on the hay bales, their little faces painted, and running in and out of their special play tent whilst the evening guests gathered around the fired-up BBQs. It was a shame it had to end really. For some the party went on all night as guests camped over (including the bride and groom) but for my girls we needed to get home tonight - only just as it was after 11pm by the time they got into bed. Wonderful.