Lots of rushing about and pruning and preening was then followed by changing into outfit number one for both of us.
Once we were ready Toni, mum, Karen, Robin, Ellie and I all piled into The Beast and headed off to Woolwich Register Office. As we had arrived in plenty of time we had a quick photo opportunity (how unlike us)!
As this part wasn't the important bit for us we went for the cut down legalities only. The object of the exercise was to make it legal as sadly England doesn't recognise Handfasting as a legal marriage (unlike Scotland where they do).
After the legal fun it was time to go and get ready for the real bit of our wedding and outfit number two!
Best Wedding Ever...
... OK, so it was our wedding and we are bound to say that but the feedback we got from our 80-odd guests, verbally and in our guest book, said exactly the same.
We wanted a wedding with a difference; something to remember. We got exactly what we wanted and then some!
Once Bob and Leanne had arrived at the house, we all piled into cars and taxis and headed off to the Tudor Barn in Eltham.
We had a Pagan Handfasting, which suits our beliefs and was quite possibly a bit of an eye opener for a lot of those in attendance. The weather wasn't great so we had just over 80 people indoors in what looked more of an amorphous blob than a circle but it worked nonetheless. The lovely ladies from Wicca Moon performed the ceremony for us and got everyone involved with their enthusiasm. There were chants and calls to our ancestors (which came very close to causing a few tears), verbal blessings from all the guests and sharing of a ceremonial chalice of mead between everyone. We had our hands bound as we said the vows we had written and then capped it all by jumping the besom (broomstick), swiftly followed by each of our guests in turn.
After the ceremony there was a drinks reception. Not a drop of champagne in sight though. Guests had a choice of glasses of warm spiced cider and brandy or mulled red wine. Warm comforting drinks for a chilly November day.
As for the food, we bypassed the more traditional wedding packages and opted instead for a Tudor Banquet. A restored Tudor Barn is the perfect place for a medieval banquet. We had thrones for the two of us at the top table and two long banqueting tables seating 38 guests each. These were dressed with runners, candelabras, clay platters, goblets, jugs of wine and ale as well as soft drinks. All in the colours we wanted with the floral decoration we wanted. They looked breathtaking.
Our waiters and waitresses were all dressed up in medieval garb and looked perfect.
To say the food was lavish would be an understatement. We had something close to what would have been traditional at a banquet of this sort. We weren't an easy crowd either. Among our numbers we had three coeliacs requiring gluten-free food, one very strict vegan and several vegetarians. The chef and the kitchen staff rose to the challenge and provided some of the best food we've eaten in a very long time (and we eat out quite a lot!).
The evening was completed with a DJ and finished at midnight with us having to round up guests who were having too much fun to want to leave.
There will be photos, lots of photos but for now here's a select few:
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