14 » pink weddings magazine
Emma and KErry
write a poem for my wife that my very good friend
Helen read out. Kerry had been so very nervous
about the ceremony – I don’t think anyone could
have been more apprehensive than her, but when it
came to it, she was confident, happy, and it was over
in a flash. We were wife and wife; we walked out and
hugged every member of the congregaton, who
were congratulatng us. It was exhilaratng and
emotonal – yet at the same tme, so natural.
Our whole wedding was a family affair.
Throughout the journey from planning to getng
hitched, our family were incredible, and played a
massive part in the day. Our decision for a
photographer was easy – not only is Gill Jones an
insightul, creatve photographer, she’s also my
aunty! She never once made us feel like this was
‘just’ a civil partnership, or that as a gay couple, we
were any less important or valid than a straight
couple. The fact we are gay was inconsequental to
everyone involved, really.
my other aunty, an independent florist, kindly
offered to do our flowers, and did an exquisite job,
beyond our wildest dreams, injectng colour and
character in to everything she touched. Kerry’s
mum came into her own, taking on the task of our
buntng request all by herself, churning out metre
afer metre of dainty flags to dress the venue. She
also gave us the wonderful gif of our wedding
rings, engraved with our fingerprints.
Our friends were equally as generous and
industrious. Our wonderful friend anita bought us
the best wedding cake ever – a three-tered pork
pie. (It was the talk of the day and possibly Kerry’s
favourite bit!) Our amazing friend Helen gave us
the sweet accompaniment, with tatoo-inspired
cupcakes for the guests to take away. my 17-year-
old brother even rose to the occasion and made us
a wooden frame of chicken wire for our guests to
pin messages onto (which is stll in our dining
room!).
most of our guests travelled around 300 miles
to come to our wedding – a big ask. despite the
distance, they all seemed genuinely delighted to be
there, and we’ve had more than a few people say it
was the best wedding they’d ever been to! The
weather helped – it was a stunning sunshine-filled
day, with a lot of our wedding party staying down
the road in cotages on the beach.
•••••••
ThE PImms And ProsEcco WErE floWIng
and many remarked that they could really feel the
love in the ceremony, and the afernoon carried on
with lots of smiles and laughter. The food was just
delicious, and the pork pie cake and norfolk/Welsh
cheese board selecton topped off an indulgent day.
We had five speeches before Kerry and I had even
said a word during the meal, and there wasn’t a dry
eye in the marquee – we laughed, we cried, and
our nearest and dearest did it with us.
It may sound odd, but one of the biggest
highlights for me was that everybody took the
occasion seriously. It turned out to be a hang-up
entrely my own that made me think our family and
friends may see a civil partnership as not ‘the real
deal’. It was confirmed to me when my mum came
out of the ceremony in tears (a very rare occasion!)
that the day had all the same majesty and magic of
a ‘real’ marriage.
Other high points were watching the manic
aggression of girls trying to beat each other in a
double throwing of the bouquet; our first dance to
‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and the magnetc Zeros;
and taking everyone down to the beach the next
day to watch a perfect sunset.
Everyone played a part in our wedding, and we
truly wouldn’t have had the perfect day we had
without them – as the old adage goes, ‘surround
yourself with positve people’. my mum was a rock
and supported us in every way imaginable, my dad
was a practcal sage, Kerry’s dad provided calm
love, and her mum a never-ending offer of help.
We had six mischievous but always-prepared
bridesmaids who devoted so much tme to us and
made everything we did full of giggles.
make the day your own. you, as people and as
a couple, are unique – let’s see what makes you
different. also, never let your nerves stop you from
making the commitment to each other. If you love
each other, take the plunge. marriage is the most
wonderful ride of your life.
‘It may sound odd, but one of
the biggest highlights for me
was that everybody took the
occasion seriously. It turned
out to be a hang-up entrely
my own that mademe think
our family and friendsmay see
a civil partnership as not “the
real deal”. It was confirmed to
mewhenmymumcame out
of the ceremony in tears...’