Please click on photos to see a larger one - The photos are mine except where stated in the bottom right hand corner.
A Day at the Pictures - August 2012
Thursday August 9th - A rush to the shops before closing time and BANG! Car not roadworthy. We need it tomorrow, we're off to the cinema in Leeds - panic!
Friday August 10th - A car is being provided for us but where is it? 6.15pm, all sorted and nervously we drive out of the hire-car firm in Preston and head for the motorway. It's a car full of mod-cons. No ignition key - I soon stalled the car - another of many panics - what do I do? We're on our way again and on the M6. The car has built-in satnav and the hire company have programmed the Leeds hotel post code into it. I stalled it at least a couple times more and each time the satnav had to find where it was and resume with the directions. First time Michael has used satnav!
We were due to arrive in time for dinner at 7.00pm but it's 8.15 as we pull on to the hotel car park. Bill, Christine, Robin and Dorothy, also due at 7.00pm have also only just arrived after a ten-hour journey, Bill ignored the directions done for Dorothy and used the 'scenic' route - that's being kind. They were all too tired to go out for the meal so we rushed up the road to the Stables Pub, where Paul, Alison, Ron, Christine and Liz who had waited so patiently for us, had just ordered.
We joined them and had something to eat in very convivial surroundings.
Walking back to the hotel suitably refreshed
Saturday August 11th - Managed to put the post code of the wedding venue into the satnav but couldn't get it to work so we had to resort to the AA printed instructions. We couldn't find the trip odometer so couldn't estimate the distances in the instructions so got lost at least twice.
Outside Hyde Park Picture House in Headingly Leeds, where the happy couple were soon to be married. We were ushered into the pictures, a lovely old cinema, very similar to the one in which I had been transported many times in Leyland as a child, which sadly was destroyed by fire in March 1949. Pictures of old film posters were being projected on to the large screen - but wait, they aren't the originals. Kathryn and Richard work in the media and are dedicated 'picture' fans. All the posters, over twenty of them, had been modified to incorporate Kathryn and Richard's images
The service was a Humanist Service conducted by this person and it was beautiful - sorry about the very poor photo, hopefully someone will give me a better one.
The bride and groom and the bride's parents - Paul, Kathryn, Richard and Alison. The 'stuff' on the floor is popcorn - everyone was given a box of popcorn as they entered the cinema, I refused mine - I hate the stuff, in my time we had parched peas - not suitable for throwing.
Paternal Grandma, Dorothy - one of the Best Men in the background, yes there were two!
Alison and Paul's son, Christopher, married almost three years to Nicola, and Rosie, their recently born Diamond Jubilee baby. Christopher was Master of Ceremonies.
Continuing the cinematic theme -
The caterers putting the finishing touches to the banquet while we await the arrival of the newlyweds. 'Nell Gwynn' made sure we had enough of the pre-tea snacks.
More canapes and the boss, on the right, checking that everything is in place.
Every table had a cake stand made by Kathryn and her friends from small clear glasses and plates from Alison and Christine's mother's collection. The hall was decorated by Kathryn and her friends, Liz, Alison's life-long friend, arranged the flowers with Alison's help - the flowers, were suppoosed to have been specially grown in Alison's college (well that was the plan but they didn't survive the day so alternatives had to be found).
Here they are at last! A look at the back of the bride's dress, everyone loved her dress. Has the bride's mum gone all shy or is she just showing off her hat? One bridesmaid was feeling the pinch. Nicola and partner, a best man - we met Nicola in the lift on the way down from our room at the hotel - we found we were going to same wedding!
Who is this woman trying to wake poor Rosie, much to the disapproval of the onlookers! Try as they did they couldn't stop her. Now Mummy has to comfort her. Poor Rosie, everyone wanted to hold her. Grandma said "No, take it from this side". Rosie replied by regurgitating on Sue's shoulder, but it was worth it. The new bride had had her turn earlier - she doesn't look very enthusiastic? Sue's outfit.
The 'Mature Cheddars' - see below:
Bill, Chris, Dorothy, Robin, Christine, Ron, Suzie and Michael. Sorry about the photo of Christine and Ron, hope someone will give me a better one. 'Mature Cheddars'? At the Wedding Breakfast, this time an Afternoon Tea, the tables were all named after cheeses, each name having a particular relevance to its group of people. I must say at once that although six of us are septuagenarians, Christine and Ron are a lot younger. Bill and Chris are lifelong friends of the family, Dorothy is Kathryn's paternal Grandma, Christine is Alison's elder sister and Suzie is Dorothy's cousin-in-law.
The father of the bride spoke first, full of emotion. Then the bridgegroom but to maintain equality the bride insisted on speaking next followed by the best men with Christopher making sure everything went smoothly with his own brand of wit.
Outside the cricket progressed to cheers and finally one big cheer signaling that one side had won.
The groom's sister and her family plus one. This is the only photo that I have of the bride's dresses.
Now fever pitch was reached! All the fair maidens lined up behind the bride and she flung her bouquet over her head. Who was the lucky catcher?
The bride has a strong arm! The bouquet whisked over their heads and this young woman caught it. Is she to be the next bride? Are the others to be old maids?
There were many children at the wedding and they all seemed to enjoy themselves behaving impeccably.
Then the dancing started to a rather loud Disco.
Later in the evening, when the sun had gone down, everyone was treated to a fish,chips and peas supper.
The seating plan, note the table designations mentioned above.
The unusual wedding cake, made up of a cupcake for everyone.
Sunday 12th August - We all breakfasted together and then made our separate ways home, a lovely weekend.
This is just one person's take on the event, there must be many more, which will all present a different story and you'll wonder if they all went to the same wedding! Moral - don't believe everything you read in the papers or see on TV. Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see - Wise Old Owl?
Thank you Kathryn and Richard for letting us share your wedding with you.