So much the bride is almost invisible. Wedding no 2 in York.
Best night's sleep in ages - no late night, no noisy showering boys and a late breakfast. Veggie fry-up and artisan bread in a light airy breakfast room.
Got ready and agreed to meet T outside to walk down together - a little bit of miscommunication somehow meant we missed each other and we had to rush not to be late.
We weren't as the venue was a short walk away in the Hospiteum a lovely 14th century building in the museum gardens built as part of St Mary's Abbey, the ruins of which overlook it. The Hospiteum was probably somewhere they hosted guests.
We mingled outside for a while until called into the ceremony. J arrived looking beautiful. Drinks, canapes and photos outside in the very warm sunshine.
Wedding breakfast and speeches were upstairs. Nice menu of soup, tagine and sticky toffee pudding as well as handmade chocolates. Another day of overeating. Speeches from father of the bride, bridegroom and best man F were very moving.
We enjoyed the warm weather outside until the first dance. The band started and we took the opportunity to explore the grounds and ruins - now closed to the public. Very pretty landscaped grounds, an observatory, big museum, mosaic map of Yorkshire and the river at the bottom.
Returned to listen but not dance that much - it was a touch loud and the sound distorted by the room acoustics. And of course songs generally unfamiliar to us.
Evening ended for us with very nice pizzas which we ate chatting to some of the groom's friends. We left and once out of the gardens walked across the bridge to the Maltings, a pub Dave had liked on a previous visit, but it was closed. Back for another early night.
A beautiful wedding photo, and what a wonderful venue for the wedding. The only time I've been in the hospitium was for a business presentation. I would love to get inside again to take a few photos!
Ian