The big day

On the big day I woke to a house buzzing with... snoring, In fact I was one of the first up. I guess everyone thinks that it must have been nerves, but 7 hours of sleep is more than I would get on a normal night. So I had a casual breakfast, followed by two runs out to the hall with best man in tow to make sure all the last minute preparations were ready. Tap the kegs, sample the beer, provide enough ice to open an Ice rink in the bush, and have a quick peek at the cake, erm cupcake cake, that Bev was putting together.



Then it was back to Mandelsons H.Q. to get changed for the big event. At this stage I had heard nothing from the other party and so I assumed all was well and was able to crack the first beer at about 12. Of course things weren't all plain sailing. Groomsman C_ had been absent most of the morning, and It was at this point I was informed that he was showing the ozzies just how to drive the porcelain truck! A stomach bug, apparently. After a VB and a sausauge roll, the C_ put on his Suit and a brave face, and was quickly on the road to recovery if not sobriety.



Soon enough the bus was there and it was time to jump on with the rest of the Guests. Only retreating briefly to secure some more VB stubbies for the bus ride out to Bungonia. We arrived at the Church at 2.30, plenty of time.. for T_ to show me how that button hole flower (Boutonnière) should be attached, apparently not as the name suggests, through the buttonhole.



Everyone took their seat in the church while I chatted with Fr S_. At five minutes to 3pm I took my place at the front of the church and waited for my bride to arrive while my best man and Groomsman made jokes at my expense, and baby Charlee blew kisses from over her grandma's shoulder.




At 3.30 my bride arrived, obviously she couldn't resist making me sweat a little, but by then I'd managed to convince myself we were meant to be starting at 3.30 anyway!
The ceremony couldn't have gone better... as you can see in the pictures.
There were a few moments where we all had to laugh, when R__ forgot that he was giving a reading, and when R___ decided he wanted to stand at the front with K and I. There were tears too when we exchanged vows. After Fr. S told me I could kiss the bride K retorted asking if she could kiss the groom too. Katherine couldn't help herself and let out a Yippee at the end.




After the ceremony we all streamed out of the church and had a few moments for a few words with a each of the guests. The photographer grabbed some of the family members for some of those photo's that will garnish mantelpieces for years to come.




We wanted to walk the few hundred metres through Bungonia proper to the reception hall, so K grabbed my arm and instructed me to take her to the Party.




After we led the exodus to the hall, the photographer took some more great snaps against the ruins of the old bakehouse building in the dying light of the evening.




Once all the photo's were complete, and the light was gone, we both concurred, it was time for a drink.





So the party was a hit, the food was good, there was more than enough drink, and plenty of craic. The speeches were only very embarrassing. The dancing was awesome, the kids leading the way, followed by their parents.




The lumpy underdaks got the place thumping, with an Extreme version of Wild Thing by K's brother M_ which they probably heard in the northern hemisphere.



At the end everyone had to go home. So it was onto the bus and off to Goulburn.
Well one of the trips, the bus broke down, but after that everyone got home.

And don't worry, there'll be some more photo's up soon!