Friday, April 29, 2011

Ten years ago


I confess. I watched The Wedding. Who doesn't want to see some real life fairy tale action?

Despite my earlier pondering over the media coverage of it, my curiosity got the better of me. I had to see The Dress. A mild bout of cough-induced insomnia saw me still awake at midnight, and I briefly toyed with the idea of watching the live broadcast - which I believe saw the ceremony airing at 4am West Coast time - but I quickly realised that would result in one zombiefied mumma for the rest of the day.

Instead, I set the DVR to record it, and in the morning I informed the Faery that rather than Sesame Street, our breakfast viewing would be The Wedding. And that's what we did - with my finger on fast forward for the more boring parts.

I surprised myself, and enjoyed the pomp and pageantry far more than expected. I may have even had a tear or two spring up. As for The Dress? I approve. Elegance personified.

I also had another reason for feeling sentimental over The Wedding.

You see, in two days' time (May 1st), J and I will be celebrating the fact that we got hitched ten years ago. In London, long before the world had heard of Kate Middleton.

Watching the London scenery on TV brought back memories of our own spring wedding in Cool Britannia. Of course, ours was a much simpler affair with just a handful of friends and family, at the local town hall, against the backdrop of the London May Day riots. It was practically an elopement, followed by a merry dinner of tapas and too much sangria - fourteen jugs between eleven of us. A fabulous night in Covent Garden, and then an equally fabulous week in Barcelona.

As spectacular as The Wedding was to watch, I am so glad that mine was such a simple day. Although, I imagine the roar of hundreds of thousands of spectators outside the abbey, cheering for you and your love, would be more than impressive. An everlasting memory, I'm sure.

However, I love the memories of our special day. My red dress. Impossibly green gardens. Grey skies. Tulips. Relaxed. Sweetness in the air. Black cabs. Laughter. Sangria. Love.

Lots of love.

6 comments:

  1. Happy anniversary guys! You know I think you had the right idea about the small wedding. We didn't have large numbers but it was still a "wedding" with all that entails. If I ever had to do it again, I think I'd elope.

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  2. Your wedding sounds just lovely :)

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  3. Gorgeous picture. I love your wedding dress.

    I watched the wedding, too, despite being kind of milk toast about it all in the lead up. It was lovely, wasn't it?

    Happy Anniversary. 10 years!

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  4. Thank you, lovely ladies.

    Mel, I loved the low-key factor. However, I could imagine that marrying someone from another country (as you did) would definitely require a proper shindig. Immigration officials can be enough of a headache as it is, and I'm sure you wouldn't want them questioning the validity of the relationship as they might do with a 'quickie' wedding. We were lucky not to have that kind of hassle (although my visa did change as a result of us getting hitched, because J was being sponsored to work there).

    And one more detail - it will actually be our NINETEENTH anniversary! We'd already been together 9 years to the day, when we got married. Feeling a little old when I look at it that way...

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  5. Childhood sweethearts! Bless.

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  6. Oh my God, you old marrieds you!

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