two shoos await a ladys feetses.

 

ok I'll stop talking silly

 

Nicolas shoes await.

(doesn't sound so much fun though)

And flowers, a bouquet, which someone quite important found to be soooooo interesting . . . .

 

this is little Niamh.

she's only 14 months old.

that's just over a year,

but at that age, every month counts.

here she's examining the bouquet.

I'd love to read her mind.

she's probably thinking

hmmm. petal, stamen, and that's where the pollen comes from

nice bit of flower arranging . . .

Anyway - on to the church,
and here we have a chappie looking a bit furtive, and checking the rings.
Whilst in the background some ushers . . . ush.

It's amazing to watch a group of wedding guests enter a Church,
the ushers giving everyone the same message . . .
brides side to the left, groom to the right . . and here is your order of service . .

everyone smiles and walks past, but few actually listen,

many then dart back and ask . . . . so which side do I sit on . . .

I once talked some ushers into changing the words to . . .

secure your luggage in the overhead compartments,
fasten your seatbelts, there is a lifejacket under your seat . . .

it was amazing . . no one noticed at all, everyone simply nodded and walked in . .

but every so often someone would dart back and say . . . . .so where do I sit ?

Nicola slides a ring onto Pauls finger

and the guy gazes really happily at her

 

 

And at the top of the aisle,
the bridesmaids come to a halt behind the couple.

I end up transfixed by the simple beauty
of the back of the little girls dress.

anyhow - the bridesmaids all bunk over,
then sit in some seats (pews to you dear)

the guests then get a good view of the bride and groom.

the bridesmaids dresses looked quite funky though . .

 

shot from the back of the church . . service ongoing

and if you look very very closely,
you can just make out the grooms hands tied behind his back . . .

 

( oh gawd, I'm only joking really, I'll get thumped for saying that)

 

a quick kiss- so quick I just about missed it.

(my excuse is that I was slightly distracted
whilst trying to take pictures of a little flower girl - Niamh -
as she legged it up the aisle)

anyhow . a quick kiss and we're off . .

this being a church,
and churches being into candles and such things, . .

Nicola and Paul get to play with some candles.

 

 

 

The couple whizz off to the reception
in a vintage Jaguar.

on the base of the front wing
you can just see a little Union Jack

 

flying the flag is a bit of a theme at this wedding.

 

 

someone's on the fiddle.

 

a string quartet
provides background music
as guests sip the strange blue drinks

guests retire indoors,

a couple of helpful spots of rain move everyone along nicely.

see - it was SO well organised . . .

the English weather was even roped in to play it's part . .

 

I'm indoors too.

quickly nabbing some pictures of guests before the meal

 

also avoiding the occasional spot of rain -

 

one extremely happy couple
make a dash for a doorway.

O.K.
you were dying to see the room were'nt you !

 

well - here it is

a distant shot
showing the stage set before the show !

Guests hop into the seats,
and I whizz about like a . . . well, like a whizzing thing,

taking pictures and trying to catch people unawares.

I like it when I get a little series of pictures, they really tell a story,
you can see the guys amusement, disbelief, embarrassment. . .

it's all so real and so human.

another nice idea was

make lovely picture of Nicola.

 

the weather was . . well. .

fine. but with spots of rain . . .

so this picture is taken in the porch.

and as the light outside fades,
the atmosphere inside changes.

 

that isn't spooky . .

it happens every day,

it's just lovely to watch . . .

 

 

I really like the warmth of this picture,
it has a feel to it almost of a movie still.

Nicola and Paul, look up for a moment
and are observed by the camera
at the top of the staircase.

Advance warning of the first dance
is given a blast on this instrument.

well - more of a melody . .

(if the guy heard me describe his music as a blast

he'd oparblyp (mis spelt probably) whack me over the head with it.

 

ok then . . a nicer caption is

 

a saxophone takes the lead
as our couple take to the floor . ..

Paul has changed into a multi coloured jacket.

 

nah - don't be silly - its the lights from the band/disco thingymajig .

 

Nicola and Paul certainly knew how to dance,

the pace was fast and furious
and the way that Paul swirled Nicola about
certainly grabbed everyones attention.

Yep - he was really swirling her about . .

 

there's probably a dance technical term for this

 

but I'm a simple guy - it looks like swirling to me.

Aha . . what's in here.

 

you can just make out the big smile on Pauls face
this is the first time that they've seen the room decorated for their wedding reception.
and they're peeking in from the outside !

These guys are clearly proud to be Brits.

all of the tables were named after great British Heroes.

the top table was Old Sir Winston.

 

we shall fight em on the beaches,

we shall fight em . . . .

 

and we shall nevah surrendah . . .

 

 

Nicola and Paul left no one in any doubt
as to whose wedding this is . . .

guests found bottles of beer labelled with their names,

and as a nice little touch -
the glasses were all engraved with the guests names.

.

 

 

<< meanwhile, a little lady is sitting rather calmly in the hallway. .

I put this picture into sepia,

no big reason really - I think it looks sort of . . . .timeless.

this isn't a technically clever or brilliant picture,
but it reminds me of baby pictures from long ago,

just a bit soft here and there - babys arm moved - so it's a blur, but that gaze. it's so lovely . .

Fast forward to the 21st century
and we spot another little girl,
(she's one of the wedding guests)
she gets stuck into a colouring book
that she found in her goody bag.

 

no . . . you're being silly,
she isn't stuck into the book
like with glue or something . ..

that would be cruelty to children
(but rather amusing .. )

she's got stuck in, she's wrapped up in . .

oh, she's involved with a colouring book.

Pondering his speech,
this is Pauls Dad,

 

he's obviously deep in thought.
he popped up and made a quick speech which sent some verbal torpedoes

(good humoured ones)

in Pauls direction.

 

the pictures below
show the torpedoes being launched

and Pauls face is a picture
as the torpedoes strike the target.

one of the guests makes notes on a handy plate.

wot - no notepaper ?,

I hope the venue doesn't mind . .

 

(I think the plate is to be fired -
it went around all of the guests
(not on it's own you understand . . someone passed it around)

lots of people scribbled little good luck messages on the plate.

 

nice idea !i

One little flower girl, Niamh

 

explains how she legged it up the aisle,

THEN got caught.

THEN wriggled free,

THEN got caught again

THEN made a final dash
and almost made it onto the altar.

 

then again
she might just be trying to poke a finger into a bridesmaids mouth

you never can tell with kids this age . . . .

as a guest chats to his friend >>

quick as a flash, someone dashes up
and swipes his glass from his right hand

so quick - it all happened in a blink of an eye

and he never even noticed . . . . .

 

Oh. I forgot to mention . . .
the drinks were all a deep blue colour . . .

this tied in with the wedding colour theme

it was possibly planned so that
if a bridesmaid spilled some on her dress,
it wouldn't show

clever eh !
these guys have thought of everything . . . .

Paul shows little Niamh the building.

look dear - that's a doorway.

 

door . . .way.

 

no daddy, says the little girl,
I think you'll find that those are pilasters
and that's an architrave moulding . . .

hah -

 

rain stopped

 

we knew it would !