Ding dong the bells are gonna shine! (LTEH 35)

This weekend heralded a much anticipated return to Northumberland for THE wedding of the year!  J, CBC and I were forming the Penguin musical trio to entertain the masses!

The day began with some last-minute practising back home then we dressed up in our finery to head off to the historic Hexham abbey for the ceremony.

 CBC and dressed and it was nice to be able to have a photo together!  I decided (thank you to everyone for your advice!) to go with the white ribbon Coast dress in the end, based particularly on Vix's thoughts, that 'How often do you get to wear something like that in English weather'- I concur, especially as I realised that I could wear the Joy spotty Peterpan dress to more varied occasions.

The hat is from the RIP 'Hat Box' shop, the handbag from some swanky boutique on Totteridge High Street North London, the shoes from Aldo, the blue sparkly cardie from Primark.  Pearl necklace- vintage thrifted and pearl earrings - craft fair.

In typical Kezzie 'hat obsessive' style, I present to you another hat, one that I haven't featured on this blog before, my 'Judy Garland at the Lousiana Purchase exposition white chiffon hat, bought for my Mum's wedding (She insisted that we all wear hats!  Fine by me!)

 The abbey looked wonderful, decked in flowers and cool despite the hot sun outside and the flock of shoppers milling around the streets

 WOMOTM and J looking lovely!  It was SO nice to see them!  They really feel part of my family and I miss them lots when we are not there! 

J in a beautiful shade of orange! I'm so into seeing orange on people at the moment!  It looks great!

 Straight after the ceremony, we headed off to the reception venue, a brewery with marquee up on the Roman road, with beautiful surroundings- fields. Rural and lovely.  We set up our music stands and realised we had forgotten a crucial element of playing music outside- PEGS!!!!!!  The music tried its best to escape at many a moment- we improvised with small rocks from the ground and poor WOMOTM had the terrifying ordeal of being page-turner for J at the piano (I've been a page-turner, it's on the edge of the seat stuff!) That said, he seemed pretty chilled!

We had great fun playing a selection of Palm Court Piano trios- the type of stuff you might have heard in the Ritz in the 1920's, a set of Klezmer wedding music and some little bits and pieces.  When CBC and J had a break and I played Moon river, Take 5 and a couple of other pieces.  Strangely and slightly irritatingly, it was this that the bride remembered hearing!  It was a good 1.5 hours before we stopped but we were pleased and people seemed to enjoy it.

 It was also a chance to christen my new lace parasol I bought in Bruges as we haven't exactly had the weather for it so far!

 After snaffling some canapes and drinks (elderflower fizz for me!), it was time for the food, so we headed into a beautifully decorated marquee with elegant place settings cheered up with bright balloons and bunting made by the Mother and Father of the Bride.  Here's a sneaky shot of the Bride and Groom cutting the cake.  I didn't want to put one of their faces up here as obviously they wouldn't know about my blog and that's a bit naughty to put one up, but I thought this back shot might show you how beautiful the bride looked in a white dress (not ivory or cream)- it had a gorgeously ornamented front (V) and it was a halter.  She looked stunning and I was so pleased to see a wedding dress that wasn't strapless, as whilst I think every bride I've seen in one (every wedding I've been to in the last 10 years) looks lovely, I just like something different! Apparently, she was adamant that she didn't want strapless!  She looked cool and fresh all day and made a point of chatting to everyone in a lovely chilled manner!

 The food was a wonderful buffet with lots of delicious choices! Healthy too!  I liked it being a buffet rather than sit down meal! There was also roast lamb as part of it! (underneath in the shot)  The chocolate mousse desert was also delectable!

I managed to drink a glass of champagne for the toasts and speeches.  The Father of the bride was really great!  The best-man was cringingly embarassing and also included our being given individual pictures with shots of the groom!  Funny but embarassing and all I could think was "What a waste of ink and paper!"

After dinner, CBC and I decided to go for a walk as we were in such a lovely setting and we went for a wander, planning for a slightly longer walk except that we entered a field which had lots of cows up the other end and spookily, as we entered it, they all cantered towards us with stern reproach on their faces.  When we stopped, they stopped.  When we walked again, they menacingly headed towards us!  It was unnerving! CBC bravely stood his ground as I ran for the gate, then he ran too where he took shots from the safety of behind the gate!

 When we came back, my favourite part began- the ceilidh (for my international readers, this, if you don't know, is a Scottish dance.  An equivalent of your American Barn dance) had begun.

Many keen folks took their places for different dances, including CBC and I!  We had to perform a 'basket' move- one where two men and two women run quickly in a circle holding shoulders and the girls end up flying in the air with their legs in the air behind them!  It worked the first time but because our partners were so mismatched in height, we didn't get it a second time!
The final dance was a grand Orkney style 'Strip the willow'!
Here I am advancing through the set...

 Getting nearer...

 And nearer...  (note the sensible change of shoes!)

 We had lots of laughs including CBC and I messing around with silly photo shots! (i.e. the champagne glass above!)

 The cake, made by two incredible ladies!

 After the ceilidh, it turned into a cheesy disco which isn't so much my thing!  But it was fun to watch people and classy dance styles (e.g. the step from side to side, the backwards and forward, the chicken arms, the choo choo train, the lean and up etc!  My own one is 'train wreck'!)

 We even spotted Kate Middleton at the wedding! (tee hee!)

Finally, we headed home to Hexham town, tired but very happy and grateful to all the efforts of the family to make it what it was- a wonderful wedding!

 CBC will kil me for this (but he shouldn't put ideas into my head by saying, everytime I even contemplated a shot, "Meeeya, you only want to put horrid shots of me on your blog!" Well, I wasn't going to, but now I am!  Ha ha!!!!) but here we are, me in pajamas and cardie, eating cheese and rice-cakes at midnight!

How was your weekend lovely people?!

Are you off to any weddings!

What's your opinions on wedding dresses?!