The big day has finally arrived, as all big days do. The rain appears to have all gone, despite the weather forecast which predicted a 20% chance of precipitation (ie rain) - the forecasts here are just as reliable as those back home ! So we set up tables and chairs in the now dry backyard and collected sufficient ice for the beverages, while the inside work carried on apace.
The caterer (Leanne's chef/restauranteur friend, Enzo) arrived with a truly amazing selection of dishes and spent a lot of time here plating everything up, before joining in the wedding ceremony. He and Leanne go back about six years - they met via Yvette's work, at a restaurant named Filomenas, where he was the head chef. They later worked together on the redecoration of another restaurant named D'aqua in DC. He has been a good friend to Leanne and Yvette since then. His work at the wedding was truly superb - he refused any recompense for the food or his labour, so we will have to put our thinking caps on to recognise his efforts in some other way.
Marg and Leanne cooked up their sausage rolls which always go over fairly well with our Yankee cousins - at the end of the night, there were none left out of the 80 that were produced in the morning.
We took some photos before the event began to ensure that everyone was alert for the cameras before the revelry began.
Leanne, Brian and us:
Leanne and Brian
Leanne and Brian with Brian's folks (from Virginia Beach)
We got underway with the ceremony at around 1.30pm, on the paved area outside the house and both Brian and Leanne read out their prepared vows, which were both heartfelt and entertaining.
The wedding party consisted of Brian and Leanne (obviously), Marg and I, Bill and Linda (Brian's parents), Yvette, the matron of honour and the best man Peter.
Hal, a long time friend of Brian's (they went to high school together) officiated as the ordained minister, at the short but emotional ceremony. About 40 close friends and family attended and the day was perfect from start to finish.
I'll be putting up more photos as they arrive from some of the attendees, who were handy with a point and shoot.
Lastly for now:
"Thanks for making our moment extra special. In other news....we're married bitches!"
