Sunday 7 April 2013

Wedding Bells


It was a very special day and despite still feeling drained by the wretched flu which is still pulling me down, I put on my best smile and dug deep. Wild horses would not have kept me away from my son's wedding. Of course there was a hat involved! Someone had to do it, and who better than the Mother of the Groom, smart for once in black and ivory.

The Winter Garden at the smart London hotel was the perfect venue for afternoon tea with the bride's parents, the first opportunity we had had to meet them, before the beautiful, simple ceremony at the nearby Registry Office. The Groom was suitably nervous and elated and the Bride, when she finally appeared, was beautiful and radiant as only a bride can be on her wedding day.

Afterwards the newlyweds, family and friends piled onto the specially commissioned red London 
bus, to be greeted with glasses of champagne as the party began and we set off across central London laughing and chatting as the tension was released, children waving to us as we stopped at traffic lights - for once part of the sights of London!

The Thames-side pub/restaurant with its stunning view of the river was warm and welcoming after the short walk from the bus in the still freezing-cold late March wind. The food was delicious, the atmosphere relaxed and informal and the party took off. Meeting so many of my son's friends and having all three of my children, as well as my new daughter-in-law, together in the same room was a special joy, and it was a great pleasure also to welcome three of my step-children who joined us after the dinner and speeches, the first time they had met my son's new wife; we are a combined family that is still evolving and growing.


As the evening progressed, fancy dress clothes and wigs were produced from somewhere, adding to the fun. Of course, there were cupcakes and very delicious they looked too, I thought, choosing one and putting it down on the table for a few minutes while chatting to someone, only to find, when I came to look for it, that my ex-husband was sitting in my place scoffing it. It was My Cup Cake!

22 comments:

  1. You look lovely in your hat and your day sounds wonderful. Having also just experienced being MOG, I know that wonderful feeling of happiness as our sons begin their new life together with their partner in life. Congratulations to the beautiful couple.

    I hope you got another cupcake.

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  2. The hat turned out to have a life of its own and seemed to need as much attention as a small child. Yes,I did get another cupcake, although that too disappeared in mysterious circumstances. I left armed with two replacements.

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  3. Sounds like a lovely wedding - the bride and groom look great, as indeed you do, in your fine headgear! Travelling on the London bus must have been fun! Enjoy your cupcakes! Abby x

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    1. It was a very special and very emotional day, Abby. They are a lovely couple and the London bus was a big highlight! The hat was an afterthought and attached itself to me the week before the wedding, as I had had absolutely no intention of wearing one! I shared the cupcakes with my stepdaughter in the early hours...

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  4. What a beautiful day that must have been. You look very elegant - and I love the feather in your hat!
    Seeing our children married, happy, independent - well, it just doesn't get much better than that.
    The ex-husband and the cupcake will make a great story for years to come!

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    1. Thank you - the hat was so outrageous I just had to go for it! Yes, it is a real achievement to see the children married and forging their own path. I have many stories about the ex-husband...

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  5. Your son and his wife look so happy. Nothing better than seeing our children getting married. I'm so glad you had a good time with all of your family. Loved the hat.

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    1. They are, aren't they. Lovely to see young people in love - just 2 more boys to go and then all my partner's children too, so lots of opportunities to wear a hat!

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  6. They look so happy and you look stunning in your hat.

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    1. They do, they are and thank you. The hat is due for many more outings with our many young - it is quite a hat!

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  7. What a great day! We have two married (my two) and two to come (his two) my stepson this year and my step daughter next. I love seeing mine happily with their spouses. I used to worry that they would find people kind enough. Clearly I think they are specially kind! Now I can see that they have done and their partners are entirely lovely people that I am so glad to know. It is a great thing to be surrounded by adult children and their partners and to think these are just the sort of people you would be delighted to know. We must have done something right!

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    1. What a lovely comment Elizabeth and good to see you again. It is wonderful when our children find absolutely the right person, and I know my son has, as have yours obviously, so yes we must have done something right! We have just the 6 to go now, 2 of mine and all four of his - all lovely people.

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  8. It is wonderful to see your child married and to know without a shadow of a doubt that they have found the right person, as my son and his wife clearly have. I wish this for all our other children too. There is one in a long term relationship with another lovely girl who we would be delighted to welcome into the family so fingers crossed, although it is quite possible that the next wedding will be ours!

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  9. Hello Marianne, I am delighted to meet you and I adore your hat. You look beautiful :) We have a couple mutual followers, so I believe that our paths were destine to cross at some point. I enjoyed reading your profile and must confess that I am a huge fan of the British lifestyle and would love to visit your amazing country someday, but I'm afraid that it will only happen through dreaming and blogging. My budget is not ample for traveling aboard. I am your newest follower and I would be over-joyed if you would follow me back. I have met the nicest people here in blog-land.
    Your newest blogging sister, Connie :)

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  10. Thank you Connie. The hat is pretty amazing - it invited itself to the wedding. I would love to visit the USA again one day, but that may only be in my dreams, too. I shall pop over to see you straight away.

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  11. Hello Marianne, our weather is still pretty cool, but still nice for getting outside and enjoying the fresh air. Thank you, so much for following my blog. I love making new friends :)
    I know I already said this, but Great Hat!
    Your blogging sister, Connie

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  12. You look very fetching in your hat. What a lovely event.. too bad you were under the weather though. Congrats to all. I'd be mourning that cupcake!

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    1. It is quite a hat and with a combined family of seven young adults I am anticipating lots of weddings. I did eventually get my cupcake x

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  13. Your hat is wonderful and happiness shines from the loving couple! x

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    1. You just made my day - thank you for such a lovely comment. They do look very happy together x

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  14. I'm so glad you were well enough- and you looked great! It's so beautiful to read about weddings - we are going to one on Saturday (friends in their 40s) and our last wedding was my father's, so that was really special and different! Thanks also for your comment - I think that you and I have both been enjoying dressing up!

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    1. Now I'm having a little chuckle - I do enjoy dressing up! Today I got up, looked at my usual jeans and jumper and thought NO! So I put on my new jade green tights with my black knitted dress, some jade jewellery and a dark red boiled wool jacket. It really cheered me up.

      Enjoy the wedding on Saturday. I hope you will post a photo of your outfit, Floss. I think everyone loves a wedding.

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