It’s Mark and Jess’s wedding day!

It’s time for the “main event”!

The primary reason for my UK adventures this time around is to be a part of and help celebrate Mark and Jess’s nuptials!  While they’ve been together for a little while and have an absolutely adorable son, Henry, the time has come to make it official and have a great big party to celebrate!

They have selected a wonderful venue in the Cotswolds, Cripps Barn.  This setting, in the rolling hills and surrounding fields, is really lovely.  The building itself is magical and the decorations they’ve selected really make for a memorable setting.

After checking me out of Charingworth that morning and transferring to Oakleigh House for the duration, John and Mark head south to get all the “pre-wedding chores” and venue in proper order.  Marianne and I wrangle Henry for a couple of hours until our driver shows up and we’re on our way as well!

As we head down the narrow country lanes with high hedges and fields on either side, Henry’s delighted to see more than a couple of tractors and big trucks – so he’s already having a great day!

We get to Cripps Barn in time for a nice pre-wedding drink and look-about, but then it’s time for the ceremony!  Mark and John look quite dapper and are ready for Jess’s grand entrance … and WHAT a grand entrance she makes.  Every bit the “radiant bride”, she almost glides down the aisle in her spectacular dress while on her father’s arm.  

The ceremony itself is very nice and Mark/Jess read personal vows to each other to make the moment touching and sweet.  And, with a couple of legal signatures, it’s done!  

Time for snacks and photos! 

Everyone gathers outside for champagne, beer, and an almost continuous serving of appetizers that are walked throughout the crowd.  Knowing how much they liked them last visit, I chuckled when I saw the serving boards full of Welsh Rarebit and knew Kathy and LeAnn would’ve loved them!

With a magician walking about performing illusions, the wonderful weather, the yummy treats, and a happy crowd, it’s been a great start to Mark and Jess’s wedding day.  But, now it’s time to go inside for dinner!

I’m honored to be seated with the Edwards family!  While John/Marianne are, of course, at the main table – I get to sit with John’s mother, Jean, his brother Patrick and his wife Caroline (whom I’ve met before), their son Luke (who’s a new “best mate” now!), and one of Marianne’s sisters and her husband. 

Catching up with Patrick, Caroline, and Jean was fantastic – old times revisited and “what’s happened since the last time?” stories told.  Luke, it turns out, is a “good” (e.g., “bad”) influence, and he and I proceed to get into troubles and near-troubles for the rest of the evening!

Dinner was very nice and afterwards the speeches were given.  John teed me up for a very brief speech, as I had a lovely necklace that Kathy had selected for Jess to wear on her honeymoon. 

As promised, I did not talk about “Taxi Blasters”, “clogged plumbing”, or any “randomly pushed buttons in Mission Control that caused pneumatic tube deliveries” … or anything that would have directly embarrassed Mark.  (though I referred to them… heh!)

Jess loved the necklace and I took a sweet photo of the two of them to send to Kathy.

After dinner, the party starts in earnest.  People are inside and out, chatting and catching up – walking around the grounds and enjoying the lovely evening.  Henry and I take a walk … or rather, Henry takes off and I follow to make sure he stays safe! 

We find a really cool ivy arch and little wood house on the grounds, and he has fun giggling and running around it while I try to keep up – ha!

As we head back towards the party, there’s a deep throaty rumble of a single-engine plane that roars overhead.  The wing shape is unmistakable – it’s a WWII-era Supermarine Spitfire, one of England’s most famous fighters. 

It turns out that the “Royal Air Tattoo” air show and demonstrations are taking place on Saturday and Sunday at nearby RAF Fairford, so the pilot was getting a little practice time in before the events and just happened to fly right overhead.  Those of us who were plane/history nuts immediately got really really excited and kept hoping for a repeat. 

Alas … no such luck.  

We all had funs in lots of other ways, though, as the drinks were flowing, the cake was cut, the silly photo booth was in strong rotation, and the first dance was… well… danced.  

It was time for us to head out a little early, as the ring bearer (Henry, not Frodo) was pooped and we had a little drive ahead of us to get back to Oakleigh House.  Rest assured, though, the party went WELL into the evening after we left!