Kate & Mark : Part Three : Celebration

Rachel, the wedding coordinator for Ballard School, had everything laid out to perfection for arrival of the wedding party.

Each table was assigned a captain, charged with the championing of ice-breaking activities, keeping the refreshments flowing, sending errant players off the pitch possibly? I don't know. I suppose that would likely be a referee's job.

Lovely details, highly playful, but as befits my nature it didn't take long for my focus to fall on something else.

And I was fully in my element. Kate & Mark wanted to be able to look back on their wedding day and witness afresh how much everyone had enjoyed it. There was no hiding the fact, everywhere I turned.

His fingers were dancing happily :~)

The Girl with a Flower in Her Hair. A title of sorts. I enjoyed a number of good chats with her and The Man Who Abseils from Superstructures for a Living (and takes photographs while he's up there) during the course of the afternoon. Now here's an interesting thing. I'm actually talking with her as I shoot the two images top left (thus she's aware that I'm taking photographs of her) whereas the gentleman bottom right is, in fact, completely unaware of my presence. One component of that compound statement is untrue.

Kate & Mark had requested some group photographs of the Groom with his groomsmen and of the Bride with her bridesmaids. At an opportune point I rounded up the guys and took them off towards the trees in search of a nice backdrop but then Mark spotted the white lines and everything was completely out of my control, something that suits me just fine :~)

Jason proving he's the Best Man. In fairness to Mark though, he would be needing to conserve some energy for later that evening. For the first dance that is.

The bridesmaids were no less energetic.

Introducing The Man Who Abseils from Superstructures for a Living (and takes photographs while he's up there). I dare say the squatting posture affords a fantastic centre of gravity likely to come in highly useful on the job, so to speak.

A sight particularly dear to my heart on those occasions that I encounter it at weddings. Beer combined with photographs. Actually it's just the photographs; a lot of them. It's a sign that the couple place particular value in images as a means to crystallise memories and reassuringly, it suggests to me that what I do will be of value to them many years hence.

I enjoyed the casual receiving line that didn't actually involve a line as such, simply an additional opportunity to mingle and chat whilst finding out where to sit for the wedding breakfast.

Guests all sat for the wedding breakfast, I wandered off to have a nibble at some of the delicious little details dotted around Ballam.

It wasn't too long though before I was drawn back in to the thick of things by the tinkling of spoon against glass. It's a Pavlovian reaction I dare say most wedding photographers are subject to. The tinkling of a spoon on glass has you flying into position with your camera before you've consciously decoded the sound as one that signifies the start of speeches. In this case it was a false alarm, actually a mischievous suggestion from some guest or other that it was time for speeches when it wasn't, but still there was plenty for me to observe now that everyone had done with the process of inserting food into mouth (rarely a flattering subject for photography). The cutting of the (ice-cream) cake came first anyway, and that I certainly wouldn't miss!

Kate & Mark made a point of looking at every single camera directed their way, one at a time; one of many things throughout that day which described to me a great deal about them.

Time to work off a few of those ice-cream cake borne calories prior to the speeches. Having been there the whole day myself this image evokes a particular personal realisation. Kate & Mark's wedding day was indeed action packed and as such things do, time passed all too quickly, but looking back on it there was always plenty of time to relax and enjoy the day as it unfolded.

Kate's brother made for an excellent Master of Ceremonies, with scholarly bell ringing skills to call everyone to attention.

F.O.B. Norman delivers the opening speech. A former headmaster, no stranger to public speaking, a superbly entertaining oration.

F.O.G. Bob. An excellent follow up delivery.

Pete. Good old Pete. I never forget a wedding guest's name.

Kate joins in the speech making and wishes M.O.B. Rosemary a happy birthday. A touching choice of wedding date really.

Traditionally it's the role of the Best Man to deconstruct the Groom with his speech but in wrapping up his section of proceedings and introducing Jason for his turn, Mark scores a rather spectacular own goal!

Kate waves the yellow card.

Mark, clearly waiting for the inevitable whatever it is.

Whatever it is is coming, just about now.

F.O.B. snagged by speech bomb shrapnel.

Aside from the fact that I either a) couldn't hear a thing (it'll be the sound of the shutter in my ear again), b) can't remember a thing or c) wouldn't reveal a thing even if a or b were not true, this has to have been the funniest demolition of a groom I've ever (not) heard in a wedding speech.

It's all good though. The more speeches I hear, particularly the more speeches of such high calibre as these were, the more I develop an anthropological understanding of such seeming traditions as the ritual humiliation of the groom. It tills the soil, turns over all the stones and prepares the way for fresh unfettered growth. That and it's incredibly entertaining for everyone (else) gathered.

Speeches done, the Sun was dipping below the treeline and I eventually managed to whisk Kate & Mark outside for a series of, ummm, romantic portraits.

Back in the marquee the party had already erupted into full swing, then it was time for the first dance.

Free cake to the first commenter to guess the song*. (*If you were there, you already had a piece of the ice-cream cake sorry ;~)

Same song. Translated into Esperanto.

The dance floor was packed, without a hint of a lull, for the entire night. Possibly even after the DJ left. They might all still be there now for all I know.