The first couples are beginning to arrive, and Poppy’s carrying a stack of cupcake boxes in from the car park. ‘Isn’t it great here? And so original holding the ceremonies in the barrel store!’
Like most great business done in St Aidan, this is all due to word of mouth. Ten days wasn’t much time to get ready, but as the winery’s just started opening for weddings, they had a spare Sunday, and are eager to get themselves on the map. All I had to do was email my regular exhibitors to see who could come. And the last-minute social media publicity blitz paid off with loads of couples pre-registering to get goody bags.
It’s still early, but there’s already a stream of people making their way towards the entrance where my Brides Go West camper is parked and Jess is handing out flutes of Prosecco and elderflower fizz in return for people’s details.
As the forecast is good and the air is already warm, we’re making the most of the lovely outdoor spaces. The winery buildings have big glass doors opening out all around a courtyard, and we’ve got exhibitors in all the spaces to showcase the venue to the maximum. The ever-popular Roaring Waves brewery gazebo out in the main courtyard is already crowded with grooms and beside it there’s a bicycle cart with homemade ice cream that I will be visiting again later. The organic burger barbecue with ethically-sourced charcoal is already smoking, and they’re also lighting up some fire baskets for marshmallow toasting.
Holly’s here, too, with her photographs and stop-motion videos, and Ivy’s brought the whole family. Merwyn, Bill, and his daughter Abby are looking after the Cockle Shell Castle gin stall, while Ivy’s on hand for style consultations at the different themed tables she’s decorated.
I’m nodding at Poppy. ‘With so many people it’s a shame I haven’t got my Brides Go Wild signage sorted.’
Her eyebrows shoot up. ‘A banner would be well worth the investment.’
I’m staring at my van in the distance. ‘Or I could just change the roof sign on my camper.’
She nudges me with her shoulder. ‘Good thinking, superwoman! West to Wild! Three letters would make it yours rather than Phoebe’s.’
I’m liking that a lot more than I should. ‘Remind me to ask Nic, he might know where I can get the letters made up.’
Her face relaxes to a grin. ‘But the rest is amazing. We’ve done these fairs at the farm before; believe me, they don’t happen on their own.’
I have to say I’ve barely slept this week worrying about it all. ‘All I’ve got to do now is hold it all together for the next six hours. This is the bit Phoebe usually takes care of.’
Poppy pulls me into a hug with her spare arm. ‘I should have lent you my “Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway” playlist.’
‘My mum always used to tell me if I took a deep breath and pulled myself up to my full height, it would make me feel as empowered as eating a chocolate muffin. I might just give it a try.’ As I drag in my stomach, I add at least four inches to my height. Then I smooth down my green flowery tea dress and remember the sign on my desk back in Bristol. ‘Okay, do I look ready to “Go forth and be fierce”?’
Poppy gives my arm a play punch. ‘You’ve got this, Mills, and we’re all here to catch you if you need us.’ Then she leans across to me. ‘Hey, is that a vicar talking to Jess?’
I nod. ‘Here to advise on church celebrations.’
‘You really have thought of everything!’ She wiggles her eyebrows. ‘I bet the hot priest inFleabaghas done a lot for his take up.’
It’s only fair to warn her. ‘This one’s a couple of cassocks cooler. Probably a good thing – if he was as sizzling as Andrew Scott, some brides would never move on to the floral displays or the stationery.’
I must be waving my hands too enthusiastically because Poppy grabs my left wrist and lets out a shout of protest. ‘What’s this, Mills? You’re surely not wearing your old engagement ring?’
It was too much to hope she wouldn’t notice. ‘It’s my fake one from Next.’ I bought it last year after I’d given Ben my old one back, and I kept having palpitations every time I felt my empty finger and thought I’d lost it. Then, when I was in the bathroom this morning, my ring finger looked so thin and I’d slipped it on before I knew I’d done it. ‘It’s only for solidarity – to show today’s brides-to-be I’ve been through the same as them and can empathise.’
Poppy frowns. ‘Isn’t it strange wearing one again?’
I sigh. ‘It’s actually lovely pretending my life’s sorted. I still miss that blissful state of blind optimism you get when you’re engaged.’
She pulls me into a hug. ‘It’s the hardest business for you to be in when your heart’s still not mended.’
Which is exactly why I should be moving on to a different area. Except today has reminded me all over again why I love the buzz of being around these fairs even if it does scare the crap out of me being the one in charge.
I stare at the cubic zirconia rock on my finger. ‘I’ve completely accepted I’m better off without Ben. But I’m still pining for that settled future, stretching out ahead of me.’ As I’ve no hope of trusting anyone again, that particular door’s slammed in my face. But every time I think what I’ll never have, it feels like there’s a stone in my chest where my heart should be.
Poppy snorts. ‘After all that confusion, it’s a damn shame Nic’s hell bent on sailing off into the sunset single-handed.’
It’s the perfect time for me to set her straight on this. ‘If I was stuck on a boat with that man, I’d have to swim.’ Even if I hadn’t been hurt, I’d know better than to get involved with Nic. I know my judgement hasn’t always been the best, but even I have more sense than to go within a mile of a dedicated singleton. It’s a simple sense of self preservation. It’s hard enough to risk rejection at the best of times, so if you know in advance you’re guaranteed a ‘thanks, but no thanks’, well, why would you?
She grins at me. ‘As we said the other day, not every maddening guy stays that way. There’s this rule – the more they annoy the hell out of you, the hotter they are once you get their clothes off.’
When Poppy’s in this mood you just have to ignore her. ‘Now might be a good time for me to check in with Casper, who doesn’t annoy me at all. Just saying.’
She laughs. ‘Which probably means that despite his very pretty face, there’s zero chemistry between you.’
