Twenty-four
Adelemadeanotherdecisionat the lunch – although this was a joint decision with Marcus. They wanted to have their wedding reception at the sailing club and they wanted the caterers who had just provided our lunch.
But when I told them about my idea for them to say their vows on the balcony at sunset before a celebrant, and that Willy Trotton would be happy to do the honours, there was a slight change of plan.
‘Willy will say a few words and you’ll exchange your vows, and for all intent and purposes, it’ll be as if this was a proper service, but because celebrants don’t have the power to make it legal, you’ll need to attend at the statutory marriage room at the Registry Office to do that. Apparently it only takes about fifteen minutes, and you just need two witnesses. You can simply sign the papers to make the marriage legal, and there’s no need for vows, or flowers, or guests. Just you and two witnesses and fifteen minutes later it’s done. If you do that on the same day but before you come here and say your vows, then effectively, it’ll still be your wedding day. Or you can do that part another day and have guests, music, flowers and all the pomp and circumstance you want, and then you’ll have two anniversaries in a way, instead of one. But only one of them will be legal. The one at the Registry Office.’
They both agreed that they only wanted one special day. One anniversary.
‘I don’t want to drag people to the Registry Office,’ Adele said, ‘and then have to come down here and do the whole thing again. I only intend to get married once, and that includes saying my vows only once.’
‘I agree wholeheartedly, my darling,’ Marcus said.
He didn’t mention that the bit about only getting married once didn’t apply to him though, as this was his second marriage. But there was no need to. And no one wanted to be reminded of that.
I liked Adele as soon as I met her, but I liked this ‘new’ Adele even more. She knew exactly what she wanted and was making decisions that would make her and Marcus happy, regardless of what anyone else might think.
I wasn’t sure how long this might last, but I hoped that finding out she was now responsible for the life and happiness of another human being, and not just her and Marcus, had been the wake up call she needed.
She certainly seemed to have a spring in her step and was bright-eyed and bushy tailed. And she was going to use that tail to swish away naysayers, gossips, or evil cows and bullies, I was pretty certain of that.
She wasn’t experiencing any morning sickness, and hadn’t before now, and although her hormones had been playing havoc with her moods, she definitely had that pregnancy glow.
‘Then that’s what will happen,’ I said. ‘You’ll need to deal with the Registry Office forms, but I’ve already checked the dates and the 26thof July, your chosen wedding day, is available if you only want to sign the paperwork. They have one appointment at ten a.m. and another at two p.m., so it’s up to you. You’ll need to decide soon though because they will get booked up.’
‘I want to get married as soon as possible,’ Marcus said, ‘but I’m more than happy with either time as it is the same day.’
‘Me too,’ said Adele. ‘I suppose it depends on our plans for the rest of the day.’
‘Well,’ I said. ‘It’s entirely up to you. But depending on the time you choose for your Registry Office paperwork, and whether or not you’re going to wear something different for the legal bit there, and then get changed for the ceremony here, you could have the legal bit in the morning, and then go home and get changed. Then either come here for lunch, and then do something like games or a quiz, or a film, during the afternoon, say your vows at sunset and then have drinks and all go home. But that might be quite tiring. Especially as you’re pregnant, Adele. Or after the legal bit, go home for longer then come here for an evening meal and say your vows at sunset and then have a disco and dancing after that. Or there’s an option for afternoon tea, or maybe if you want it to be an entire day, a combination of all of it. Originally I’d thought of you getting married and having your sit-down meal at a restaurant, and having a carriage or something to take you from wherever you had the service, to the restaurant, and then to bring you both along the promenade to here, where we’d have cocktails and maybe some music and dancing, but when I saw the balcony, the thought of seeing you take your vows on that balcony, with the sunset behind you, made me think how wonderful that would be. Then that would be followed by a disco or band and dancing in the function room. I don’t see why we can’t still have a version of that, the only difference being whether you go home and get changed, or not, and that the carriage or whatever will bring you from the Registry Office to here, and not to a restaurant. If you choose to go home and get changed and then come here later, we could have cars for that part, and we’ve got some provisionally booked, and then have a carriage to bring you along here. And then you just need to decide whether it’s lunch, afternoon tea, or an evening meal. Or all of them. Phew. Did that make sense?’
Adele laughed as did Marcus.
‘Run that by us again, Adele said.
‘Okay.’
‘No! I was joking.’ Adele glanced at Marcus and smiled. ‘I know what I want.’
As if reading her mind, he replied, ‘Me too.’
And funnily enough, they both wanted exactly the same thing.
