It’s been a holiday weekend here in the UK and a very special one for my friend Gavin. Following his stag night last month came the far more civilized celebration of his wedding day as he tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Savanna.
The traditional church wedding took place on Saturday in the small village church of Barnston. The seemingly unending rain, that has soaked Britain all summer long, broke and bathed the church in warm sunlight, just as it did for Gav’s stag do, and Savanna’s hen weekend.
In the morning Gav and ‘the boys’ all went to the Shamrock Cafe for a traditional English breakfast. Just as Phil did on the morning of his wedding last year, Gav elected to get the biggest breakfast he could, a huge plate of animal that would satisfy a giant, let alone “a little fella” like Gav!
Having eaten his final breakfast as a single man we didn’t see him again until he was sat nervously at the front of the church waiting for the arrival of Savanna – and what an arrival that was. She looked amazing! Her dress, well heck – what do I know about dresses! It was a spectacular brilliant white off the shoulder dress with a corset type thing going on at the back (I appreciate there is probably a technical term for that). As predicted Gav began to cry the moment he saw her in it. Nobody lost that bet!
After the church service we all headed off to a nearby manor house for the reception. There was the obligatory time spent posing for pictures, then the ‘wedding breakfast’ and the speeches. Jon, the best man, very kindly added a gag to the speech for myself, Fozzie and Si. Gav and Savanna didn’t have a wedding present list and had instead just asked for money, which while not unusual these days, did seem rather boring. So Fozzie, Si, and I decided we would give them what they wanted, but with a twist.
I contacted my bank and changed our money into small change; coins no bigger than 5p. Just to add to the fun we threw in foreign coins too! It weighed a lot more than I had anticipated, so much so that the best way of carrying it was between two people. So when Jon announced that we had decided to adhere to their wishes to give them money Foz and I carried the wooden box of change to the top table and placed it right in front of the happy couple.
In the end the entire day was over far sooner than I think any of us would have liked. Gavin and Savanna (or Gavanna as I think they should now be called) are quite simply made for one another and fit like hand in glove together. They were positively overflowing with happiness that day but in truth if you mention Savanna’s name to Gav on any day he can’t help but tell you how much he loves her, and long may that continue.
So right now they’re on their honeymoon in Mauritius enjoying the tropical sun and the beginning of a new life together. I doubt Gav’s grin will leave his face for weeks yet, and really, who could blame him.
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Fozzy’s pictures of the wedding
Top picture by Paul Crook.
Left picture by Joanne Simpson (converted to black and white by me)
Picture of ‘Gavanna’ with the bridesmaids by Joanne Simpson
Confetti picture by Paul Crook
Wrote the following comment on Aug 26, 2008 at 2:37 am
A big box of small change on their wedding day. We’re you being cleverly symbolic there too? :-)
Wrote the following comment on Aug 26, 2008 at 5:39 am
Ahahaha! Love the box of money!
Wrote the following comment on Aug 26, 2008 at 9:27 am
I’m happy that our horrible ‘summer’ weather was kind to them. That is a beautiful looking dress too. Didn’t you get a better picture of it though Simon? If you did I’d love to see it.
Wrote the following comment on Aug 26, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Congratualations to the happy couple. So sweet that Gav cried! Hehe! You painted the perfect picture of the day Simon and the wedding party look beautiful. Absolutely love the small change gift, their faces must have been a picture!!!
Wrote the following comment on Aug 26, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Looks like it was a great day for all, would have loved to have seen there faces when the money box was presented!!!! Has the job of getting it changed been left to the best man as a final duty!?!
congratulations to the happy couple and well done you for letting us enjoy your memory of the day.
Wrote the following comment on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:19 pm
No I told him to go do the changing back to ‘proper’ money himself!!
: )
Wrote the following comment on Aug 27, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I can’t help but think of the movie Four Weddings And A Funeral when I think of English weddings.
Love the big box of money idea. That’s so funny. You’re the joker of your friends then I take it?
Wrote the following comment on Aug 28, 2008 at 12:42 am
Anne has informed me that the dress term I was looking for was ‘strapless.’
I should also note that brides I have seen at previous weddings should not feel in anyway that I was not similarly impressed with their dresses. :-)
As for me being the joker, well you’d have to ask my friends.
Wrote the following comment on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:48 am
I would like to say that the wedding was one of the most beautiful (if not the most beautiful) weddings I’ve ever been to.
The weather was perfect, as Simon has already said. The church was beautiful. Gav looked a gentleman (which is hard for him, no named brands in sight ;-)). And to top it all off Savanna looked a vision of beauty.
Even the wedding breakfast and evening reception went without a hitch (well there were a couple that Jon was stressing about, but none that weren’t easily fixable by Simon racing to pick up a bag of stuff). A good day was had by all and Gav is one very lucky man!
Wrote the following comment on Aug 29, 2008 at 7:09 am
Thanks to all your amazing comments. We had the best day and night of our lives. We are so happy that everyone who we cared for and loved made it to share our special day. This mean’t the world to us and it shows who your real friends are.
Fozwaldo the great, you are right I am a very lucky man.
And Jon you did a fantanstic job and we were proud to call you our best man.
About the money Simon and I (Gavanna) are going to have a pizza and count the money at ours. Any of the “lads” are invited you know who you are.
Well must go and enjoy the rest of our honeymoon in the sun.
Oh yeah and thanks to Simon for writing a blog about us.
Gavanna (Gav and Savanna)
Wrote the following comment on Aug 30, 2008 at 12:45 am
Gav, I could tell you a real easy way to get it counted, but that would ruin the fun :-)