My husband married someone today!
And I was there playing the harp!
No, it’s not that I’m super-forgiving, it’s the fact that my husband, Paul, is a vicar! Today at our church, St Mary Magdalene, Tanworth-In-Arden, we got the opportunity to work together to help make someone’s wedding special and memorable. It doesn’t happen all that often, so it’s lovely when, every now and then, we can contribute together in this way.
Today, it was Suzanna & James, and this is my “through the strings” perspective
For Anna’s big entrance processional (and it was big, with four bridesmaids, three flower girls and a page boy), she chose that wonderful disney classic, Beauty & The Beast.
With an unhurried grace she and her bridesmaids walked up the aisle to where a tearful Jam was waiting. Obviously I couldn’t take any shots of this moment as I was kinda busy playing, but here’s the wedding party shortly after that, with the bridesmaids in a classy and delicate Champagne colour.
Now, I’m probably biased, but I think my hubby does the best wedding! When he voices the vows for the bridegroom and bride to repeat, he says them very quietly, and this means that you actually get to hear the couple make those vows to each other. Paul just seems to melt away at that point. Today’s wedding was no exception.
There’s a promise that the guests gathered in the church have to make: “Will you the friends and family of Anna & Jam, support and uphold them now and in the years to come: We will!” Paul will get the guests to practise this response before the bride arrives, and will often get them to do it again if he doesn’t think they’re loud enough. There was no worry today! Anna & Jam’s friends and family raised the roof. They also sang out all the hymns loudly which was great. I’m thinking that the party that night was an exuberant and fun affair!
So, yes, I admit it. I’m very proud of Paul when he does weddings with such tenderness, fun and care. And his wedding sermons are good too, although he did start talking about me in the middle of today’s address, something about our 29 years of marriage and the deep intimacy we share. Ah, hmm! I don’t often get put on the spot and embarrassed in the weddings I play at!
Above you can see them just before saying their vows, exchanging rings (there’s hubby just leaning forward into view), and then receiving the priestly blessing on their wedding. Note the spring theme. All the groomsmen had daffodils to brighten up their blue suits, and the Groom managed to keep the theme going with socks to match!
What you can’t see from these photos is how emotional the couple were when exchanging their vows, how the bride faltered over her words, because she was getting choked up, or how that was because the Groom was getting caught up in the emotion of the moment – a loop of shared joy and emotion. It was lovely.
For the signing of the registers they asked me to sing two pieces for them: True Colours and Wherever You Will Go. Following the final blessing, they requested I’ll Be There For You, the Friend’s theme for them to walk down the aisle together at the end. It was a lovely sunny day, so all the guests were ushered into the beautiful churchyard for some photo opportunities, and Paul and I got a chance to wish them all the best for the future.
Yes, it’s not often Paul and I get to do a wedding together, and I love it when we do!
