There are some pretty impressive differences between what goes on in Australia and what happens in England. Even though the language is the same, forgetting the accent differences which sometimes leave me standing like a gormless fool unable to even guess an understanding, some customs are delightfully different.
It might be due to the heat, or it might just be that Aussies are lightweights when it comes to partying, but when I got married, a million years ago, it was late in the afternoon and so too have been the weddings I have attended at home. There is the ceremony in whatever form it takes, in a church, or cathedral, under a tree, on a beach, or in your own back yard, and sometimes costumes are worn for added interest. Once the groom wore a chainmail suit he had made himself by linking hand made metal rings. It was a heavy sucker and his wife wore a beautiful frock, era-matched and I reckon the Catholic Cathedral in Brisbane might not have seen the like before or since. The ceremonies are performed by Priests or celebrants and sometimes there is singing and cheering and there are lots of photos. Then after the formalities there is a party, sometimes formal, sometimes not, and typically there is a lot of booze and a cake and dancing. It is usually all very jolly.
My familiarity with Pommie weddings is firmly based on '4 Weddings and a Funeral'. I love that movie! I wondered if there was any exaggeration or artistic licence taken about the staying power of the Bride and Groom and all their guests, but after Jess and Phil's wedding on the weekend, I am here to tell you that Hugh Grant's little film is close to the mark, and Poms really are the PARTY ANIMALS of fictional fame, and they left me for dead.
The ceremony began at 1pm. Of course Jess looked beautiful and the fellas were all decked out in ... I think they are called morning suits, they looked bloody fab and formal. The dialogue could have been delivered by Mr Bean from 4 Weddings, but thankfully that the celebrant got all the words right except for a little slip up with the Groom's name. Yeh could have happened to anyone.
Anyway, it was lovely and after all the paperwork was done and dusted, we all popped out for a group piccie and some drinks and then there was some more photos. There was a sort of a field outside the reception place and the field was next to a canal which was next to another really big field and it was filled with sheep - really cute ones with black faces. Yep it was a rural setting to die for.
A late lunch of fantastic carvery was served up, and generous does not begin to describe it. Drinks and more drinks and everyone meeting up and being very friendly. There were speeches and more drinks and then there was a sweets trolley, Yummo!
There were children everywhere. At home, kiddies are not invited, well at least that's my experience, maybe cos the folk getting married didn't have any and Jess and Phil have 3 and it seems that all people of ovary popping age either have some or a soon gonna have some, so there were kids. They played and drew and crafted and then had some sweeties from the Sweetie Shop. This was an excellent addition. A mate of Jess' had made the façade of the shop and she had stuffed it full of all sorts of foreign-to-me lollies and the old fashioned lolly bags, that were an enormous hit with the kids, but more so with the adults. We managed to hoover up tonnes of the stuff - molded sugar goes very well with grog of all sorts. Reckon this should be mandatory at all wedding functions.
I sloped off for a little lie down cos we were staying where the wedding was. A 20 minute Nanna-nap and I was good to go again. What a light weight!
There was a bit of a glitch with the music man, but Phil in his calm and capable Fix-It mode got it all sorted lickity-spilt and pretty soon there was dancing and cake cutting and more drink and more dancing and then even more guests arrived for even more food.
There were Jager(?) bombs at 3am and more dancing and more other booze. This I know from hearsay, cos yep, I was horizontal by this time, and thank god for that too.
It was the end of daylight savings, so there was a whole extra hour to party and I wondered whether Jess and Phil had done this all on purpose. I believe that the party wound up at about 4.30am - really 5.30 am - yeh I can't get my head around that either, and then everyone fronted up looking a little more casual for breakfast sometime between 7.30 and 9.30am. What a bunch of troopers!
It was the first Pommie wedding for me, and the first country wedding for Steve, and bloody marvellous it was.
Ta so much Jess and Phil for including us in your very special day.
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