The gravel track down to HQ is quite steep and BUMPY so the guests have to be transported in a tractor. It's a great ice breaker for a wedding!
And an absolute joy for Eddie.......
The setting looks familiar to us...from seeing it on TV - but surely the sun has never shone this brightly before!
We're welcomed with handmade lemon drinks, which Ollie insists are "sour", but still very drinkable, obviously.
The River Cottage rare breed sheep are barely distracted by our excitement....as the start time draws closer.
..and spent much of the formal part of the ceremony picking up small handfuls of hay, throwing them in the air while repeating (over and over again) 4,3,2,1 ...blast off ! !
For those who like to know the details, the bridesmaids wore very sweet and simple dresses - black lace over cream.
...and Cath's dress was beautiful (of course) cream lace, tiny buttons all down the back - very vintage inspired. She carried a simple bunch of fresh off white roses.
Davey and Cath had given careful thought to their Humanist wedding ceremony.....which included so many endearing personal touches (including the famous reference to Davey's "tendency to be irritable"). Cath chose the words of Pam Ayres as the inspiration for her "oath" and Davey chose Bob Dylan.....it was very personal, very moving..and just as well Eddie's blast offs were there to lighten things up or there would have been even more tears from the guests.
..and then it was over......and so much happiness....
..and a chance to celebrate, socialize and relax with a glass of bubbly Elderflower wine and a few country themed bites to eat in the veg garden.
The day had a distinct English country theme - including a Wellie Wanging (try saying that quickly) competition, which Davey won (of course).
..as well as a few traditional touches...
The meal was served in the prettily decorated marquee - brought into action after the terrible fire at HQ in 2012. It was the perfect setting on this bright sunny Spring day which everyone said was the best day England had experienced in 15 years (!).
There was a gorgeous light soup starter then this crab based appetiser served with a range of freshly baked breads.
We all ate every bit of the unbelievably tasty pork and veg (a river Cottage pig of course), slow cooked and pulled shoulder, roast leg and a "faggott" of the other parts with plenty of perfectly prepared crackling! Davey had chosen a Penfold's Koonunga Hill to match this - a lovely Australian reference.
Followed by a rhubarb crumble with ginger icecream YUM!.
Mal's speech was wonderful and the guests enjoyed Rod and Claire's account of Davey's background - before his arrival in London and meeting Cath.
The guests found their reference to Davey's exploits as a gymnasts very amusing for some reason - however Davey effectively killed any future ribbing opportunities by starting his speech off with a perfectly executed handstand!
Davey's speech was wonderful - beautifully written and full of hilariously funny self deprecating stories about his and Cath's life together - up until now.
.....as the pizza oven was being fired up for a late night snack for the revellers.
..as the most amazing sunset unfolded......
..on this most perfect of days...
No comments:
Post a Comment