The Big Day (part 3)
After dinner the wife and I were whisked away by the photographer again to have some more pictures taken around the hotel and within the grounds.
Everybody else congregated around the sweet table which was placed near the bar so that the lure of the sweets also brought them closer to alcohol. More mingling was done as evening time guests arrived and they all wanted a recap of the day so far.
The last of the wedding day traditions was our first dance. We had chosen “It Had To Be You” by Harry Connick Jr and unbeknown to anyone we had had a couple of lessons so that we didn’t end up uncomfortably swaying to the music, something we had wanted to avoid! What had started as “let’s learn a couple of steps so that we don’t sway” turned into a little routine!
We were both nervous about doing it and even managed to get a sneaky practice in about half an hour before in our room. We started the song in a swaying-type position so that it looked like it would be a boring dance but as the song got going we went for it!
It went down fantastically well and everyone was surprised when we got into it as known had a clue. Various people knew little things about the day and so this was the one thing that was a surprise to absolutely everyone.
After the dance, it was time for the DJ to get going and people danced away for the rest of the night to a selection of classic 80s tunes (our favourites). There was still yet more mingling to do as well as the chance to finally get some drinking done. With the speech and the dance routine to remember I had not wanted to get too drunk and so had paced myself throughout the day. Plus it’s nice to be able to remember the day and to get plastered would have probably ruined that!
A select number of guests were invited to indulge in a celebratory cigar with me as we smoked the finest Romeo & Juliets from Cuba, brought back from our holiday there a few years ago. It was a right little gentleman’s club!
The evening came to an official end at midnight as the DJ played the last tune and people retired to their rooms at the hotel or made their weary way home, but a few of us carried on talking into the early hours (my new mother-in-law was leaving for the airport at 1am) with the last of the wine from the bar.
The whole day had been a success. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and I had certainly enjoyed it. After all the stresses (especially in the week leading up to it) it had all gone so smoothly, thanks in no small part to Kerrin and the rest of the team at the hotel. It’s just a shame we can’t do it all over again!