I hadn’t expected it to be so lovely and so picturesque.  The vicar and the choir, one boy carrying a cross, came around from the other side and the music swelled.  The churchwarden motioned for us to follow.  Dad had to tell me to slow down, he said I was racing along.  Marion had held my train as we went around the corner so it was straight when we reached the aisle.

Who can remember anything of their wedding ceremony?  I can remember looking at Mum as I reached her.  And I can remember looking at Alan now and again but not catching his eye.  Pat told me afterwards that I looked at him as he looked away and vice versa. 

I was literally shaking through the first half of the ceremony but as soon as I had repeated my words I began to enjoy it and I was grinning all over my face.  When I had to repeat ‘to have and to hold’ after the vicar, I was so intent on pronouncing my ‘h’s’ properly it came out with too much emphasis on the ‘have’ and the ‘hold’ – really dramatic!

We had to move up towards the altar and while we were there the choir sang a psalm.  The vicar turned the book around so we could sing with them.  Neither Alan nor I were wearing our specs and we both took a step forward and leaned forward at the same time.  We still couldn’t see and the vicar must have realised this as eventually he took the book away. Before we knew it we were in the vestry signing the register.

After a photo we were all lined up for our final march down the aisle.

As we came out of the church the sun came out, just in time for the photos.  Alan and I just stood in place while the photographer moved people backwards and forwards around us. At last we were finished and as we made our way to the car the guests showered us with confetti. 

After more photos we got in the car and drove away.  I said I wished we could have it all over again!  At that, the driver laughed and said that was a bit different attitude from the journey to the church. 

We arrived at the hall and I went up the stairs singing at the top of my voice.  Very dignified (I don’t think).  We turned around to see the photographer behind us.  I don’t know how he managed to get there so quickly.  He took more photos and just after one where we were toasting each other I dropped and broke the glass.  One of the catering ladies came up and said never mind, it was lucky.  Eventually the crowd turned up and we all sat down to food!

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