THE WEDDING OF GEMMA AND BRIAN.

Saturday 4th July 2009.

The weather as we came down for breakfast was warm and sunny with a little breeze forecast for the afternoon; the hotel which is four star has very good staff and they are looking after our every need, our room is next to Joan’s and we have shown her where to bang with her stick if she need us! We are eating a cooked breakfast every day and we take up Joan’s toast to go with her tea as she watch’s the TV. We set off early to get to the church on time as the parking is rather differcult, The Reverend Stephen Cousins welcomed us to St. Peter & Pauls Church which dates back to the early sixteenth century and is in a very secluded setting and is famous as the church that Tennyson was married in, the path up to the front vestry is lined with Lavender and was at it’s best. Eighty guests soon followed us into the church; our two favorite Hymn’s, You Never Walk Alone and All Things Bright and Beautiful helped along by a large choir soon got us going and Gemma’s sister Nina and Brian’s sister read poems as well as the vicar preaching a sermon as the ceremony was actually a blessing. The bells rung by six bell ringers rung out as the couple left the church to Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, the pictures below give you a little taste of the atmosphere. They left in a 1931 white Rolls Royce to go back to the Bottle and Glass pub for the photographs and reception; the outside caterers had set up the large marquee in the grounds and Canapés and Pink Champagne were served as a look a like Katherine Jenkins gave it her all! The menu of cold Lobster salad, Fillet steak and summer fruits jelly was excellent, accompanied with fine red and white wines and Laurent Perrier Rose champagne for the toast. During the meal another look a like singer got the guest going with all the Frank Sinatra hits as you can see in the photo’s below!
In the evening the disco took over as other guest arrived for the evening buffet; which was rather special as to go with the large salad selection a professional Rotisserie chef had been roasting over wood chips four large split Lambs for over ten hours and as they cooked he injected them with his special marinade, the Lamb was to die for and was full of the most sensational flavor and cut just like butter! By then the place was bouncing and Joan was joining in with her hand jive as you can see!! A great day and the Derham family made us most welcome to their very special day on the marriage of Gemma and Brian,thank you from both of us.