Of Sibling Nuptials...

My darling brother got married yesterday.

Let me share some pics with you.

Whilst not for me, I can certainly appreciate the architecture and peaceful space of Church.  This is St Mary's at Oldswinford.  "St Mary's is the mother church of Stourbridge, a place of worship that has stood on this same site since at least the tenth century. The oldest surviving part of the building is the tower, built in the late 1400s. From the sixteenth century until 1982, it was graced by a spire. The tower supports eight bells, some cast in the seventeenth century."


The bells were pealing for the happy couple yesterday.  Whilst a somewhat drearisome day dawned with pelting rain by mid-day, we were a little apprehensive as 2pm approached.  Thankfully, the worst of the rain had died away by the time we walked up the path towards the church and we all held our breath  that the bride could make her way towards her groom sans brolly!

She arrived, looking absolutely gorgeous (as expected) some 20 minutes late (even more expected!), the ceremony commenced and the happy couple emerged into brilliant sunshine.  Thank you for smiling on them Mother Nature.

It was their wish that their wedding reception was a quiet meal with only immediate family in attendance.  We travelled to Brockencote Hall in Chaddesley Corbett.  Their website gives you a far better impression of this beautiful venue than I ever could have a look-see!

We had our own private dining room with a double outlook over the grounds.  Attentive but unobtrusive staff catered to our every whim and my goodness did we EVER feel like royalty!!!  We joked that we felt like we were in a scene from Downton Abbey - apart from the fact that we were all the 'downstairs staff' who were playing pretend whilst the toffs were on holiday!

Oh the food..... absolutely sublime!  I took photographs on another camera unfortunately so I'm sorry I can't show you but suffice to say I have never eaten beef so meltingly tender in my life!

Speeches, tears, laughter and lots and lots of love FILLED this perfectly sized room for the evening.  It was absolutely perfect, stress free and wondrous.

Let me show you the cake.... this was mine and Charlie (my partner)'s wedding gift to them.   Two sponges from M&S, ready iced and costing the princely sum of £29.50 (thanks to a cheeky staff discount from someone I know), a couple of ribbons and a topper from ebay.  There was a running theme of 'Cadbury's purple' (men's cravats and posies etcetera) and also rainbows and butterflies throughout the wedding day.  The topper actually looks very pale and mismatched to the ribbon there - not sure why unless it was the flash and lamp combo which bleached the true colours from the photograph - but I can assure you that it matched the ribbons perfectly!   I was so pleased with the finished cake.  I think it was special enough for their big day without the huge price tag for a traditional bespoke cake.  Yes I suppose I could have cut the cost even more by making it myself but I could never have finished the icing so perfectly and I really did not need the stress of trying!

Their day was completed by letting off Chinese lanterns in the grounds.  They looked so beautiful floating away into the night..... carrying wishes and dreams........

....... until the one I was holding caught light and floated up into an ancient cypress tree where it lodged... thank goodness that the tree was still wet from the earlier rain and it extinguished itself!!  Only me eh?!!  Bliddy typical!!!