First though, we had to argue over who's house had the better views. Declan's is on the mountain, with a great sweeping vista across the valleys, while Catriona's nestles in a little inlet on the shores of Lough Allen. It seemed most of Catriona's uncles, aunts and cousins had turned up to wish her well on the morning of the wedding. We'd have needed a wedding feast of Cana type-miracle for Gerry to have given everyone a glass of the champagne he was popping. Even if they didn't all get a drop of bubbly, the mood was giddy & excited in advance of the big occasion.
Fr Sean Mawn kept the atmosphere light and humorous during the ceremony. No matter how entertaining your sermon is though, sometimes one or two of the congregation will drift off. Fr Sean lent Catriona & Declan his nice Parker pen to sign the register, which I found in my suit pocket at this weekend's wedding. I'll return it, I promise! As we left the Curch, hailstones the size of marbles were hopping off the ground, and it seemed there was little chance of getting any outdoor photographs. Luckily, by the time we reached Curmungeon Shore, the rain and hail had stopped. The skies hadn't exactly cleared, but that made them all the more dramatic, as Catriona & Declan strolled out along the pier.
As always, Trish & Emma were on hand with a big Landmark welcome. The evening turned cold and windy, so we stayed in the comfort of the hotel, nipping up to the Black Mint Bar for a few pre-dinner pics. Brian Duignan was on film duty alongside me, the flowers came from Chrissy in Eden, while Gobsmacked provided the night's entertainment. Listening to Best Man Francis's speech, it seems Declan is a workaholic who doesn't believe in holidays. Nonetheless, Catriona managed to persuade him to join her on the white sands of Barbados for a week - maybe that will change his mind. The good news for me is that I get another trip to Ballinaglera next year too - for Declan's sister Linda's wedding.
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