Bus Bridge Wedding Friend

Today one of my oldest friends was getting married. I have known him since school days so today was exciting both for seeing him wed but also catching up with some other old friends that I simply just do not see as often as I should do anymore. Sadly school and childcare meant that I had to attend alone to represent the family. So after dropping Girl at school Boy helped me find my very occasional smartware and I set off to collect the rest of the Pompey contingent of friends (one locally and one from the veg empire) to head to the Winchester wedding.

Thankfully we gave ourselves plenty of time giving us a chance to get some pre-ceremony snacks after arrival. The bride was Lithuanian which meant thye day was to embrace some of her traditions as well as the grooms, a local boy. So the ceremony contained readings in both languages and translations for all, making it very special. The priest was good fun and even tried to very occasionally speak in both languages whilst his boy band looking assistant helped out.

It was a no confetti wedding so a balloon from each guest was let go as the now wed couple left the church, a lovely touch. And with a few wedding photos out of the way we all then jumped on to a big red double decker bus to shoot round the one way system stopping off at a bridge for some traditional wife carrying which was excellent to view in the absence of Wife to carry.

Once off the bus the Pompey contingent jumped in the car as we took the scenic route to the reception at a beautiful mannor house. After the last couple of days of rain it was great to see the sun out, not only for my friends big day but also for the sake of my roof. In fact the only problem with the weather was one that for once did not just affect me. It seems that these days it is not just I who has a hair style the complete opposite of when we were teens, one that is not so sun resistant.

It was great to be in the sunshine, bubbly in hand chatting to very old friends and carrying on as if I had only seen them yesterday. Added to that I got to meet some new friends along with them. And if that was not enough we were then requested to move through to another grand garden to watch a falconry display, a nice,interesting and original touch to a wedding.

After the birds we were tabled, there was a passing of bread and salt and then we were eating some incredible food with brief pauses for vodka shot toasts, cake cutting and a traditional song during which the groom would request a first kiss from his bride only to be knocked back at which point another couple in the room would have to perform a kiss to teach him how to. After a number of these lessons she finally accepted the grooms kiss. Luckily for the chap next to me, given that Wife was not there, I was not called upon to give a lesson.

Then there was a number of excellent speeches where the groom stole the show when he spoke in English and then did the same sections of speech in Lithuainian which brought tears to his Wife's eyes who was not aware of his recent pronunciation lessons. After a short break it was time for the music and dancing. The Lithuanian contingent were not quite as reserved as us Brits as they kept coming over and grabbing us to dance each time we sat down, and you know what they were right it was a wedding celebration after all, and a bloomin' good one at that.
I just wish Wife could have been with me!