Paul and Shelly’s Wedding

This weekend was the wedding of Paul and Michelle (Shelly). The weather had been completely miserable all week, but cleared up beautifully in time for the big day.

Security was tight for the event.

Ok, kidding, there wasn’t any security, but it looked like there was! In New Zealand (as opposed to UK/Ireland) people can get married anywhere, and they simply have to have someone with a marriage license to actually marry you. In Ireland there are only certain places you can get married. So, thus it was that Shelly and Paul chose the fairly magical Castle Hill to get married.

It was a little chilly, hence lots of people wearing down jackets – but there were nibbles and mulled wine, and generally it was perfecto.

The beautiful bride arrived, and didn’t worry at all that her lovely dress was getting a little muddy. In fact, I think Shelly quite enjoyed the fact :)

It was a simple affair, with poem readings (The Snow Leopard and the hedgehog went to sea….), merriment, some interesting vows (promising to take responsibility for ones own health… quite an interesting one and I definitely want to quiz Shelly about it!), and, of course, the happy couple.

As per usual, the flower girls attempted to steal the show… but fortunately not jumping off the rock for attention ;)

Back then to the Bealey Tavern – where the first wedding event they’d ever hosted was held! It was very prettily done up. Shelly had lots of help from her friends out in Sumner – the programmes were printed up, the cake was made.. it seems to be a hallmark of Kiwi weddings that everyone rows in and helps put the event together… very good way of doing things. I reckon.

Just to point out – on the cake, Shelly is tellymarking, and the pattern on the ski’s matches her real ones.. “Lovers Lane” and “The Plunge” are two ski runs here… very cool.

Shelly had asked me to be her MC for the evening. I was *quite* nervous, and definitely shaky at the start, but warmed up. I think that the best speech of all was the best mans. He was nervous (or said he was)… and it was his first time. He lined up 5 shot glasses at the bar and drank them all, one after the other. Then he said he’d taken a leaf out of the grooms book and that it was, in fact, just orange juice. Excellent excellent trick – one I shall definitely copy someday!

So the wedding was a great success, dancing into the wee hours.

The next day – we managed to get a days skiing in at Cheeseman. It was pretty crowded, but still, fun to be out and about again.