The teepee was divine. Huge. Yet intimate too.  Standing there in the middle of one of Martin’s fields. A rush-mat walkway lit by lamps. And a straw-bale maze for the kids to one side.  Inside, a bar, seating for the guests, tables and chairs for the meal, a cake table, a dancefloor, a stage.  I wanted to move in. It was perfect.

Even luxury loos outside……  but, I digress.

Jack, Kayla and I met early this year.  It was cold. I lit the woodburner. Jack sat under a blanket. We talked a lot about what they wanted for their ceremony. Kayla cried (she can’t help herself) and Jack was helping by comforting her and whilst doing so made her cry more because being loved and in love is a lachrymose experience! (note to self, have plenty of tissues on the day.)

Jack is German. Kayla from a farming family in Suffolk. The wedding was on her dad’s farm.  She arrived on a quad bike bedecked with hops, as was the stage and the bower. It all looked gorgeous. But not as gorgeous as Kayla. You’ve heard the term ‘radiant bride’ – well her smile lit up the teepee.

I tried out my German during the ceremony – many moons ago I lived in Switzerland for a while –  and am very grateful to my friends Hetty and John for their corrections to my pronunciation!

Jack’s mum read in German and English from Kahlil Gibrhan ‘On Love’.  Steph read ‘He’s Not Perfect’ by Bob Marley, which had everyone laughing as Jack feigned shock and horror at the preposterous idea of not being perfect.  Then Julie read from Corinthians – a very loving and tender reading. And yes – from the bible – but it was the sentiment that she wanted to express   Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Jack and Kayla are in love. Their love was like a shining beacon on Saturday.  They both fought tears. I supplied tissues. To them, and to the guests, as we went along.  Tissues disappeared up suit sleeves, into handbags, down the cleavage…….. only to reappear a couple of minutes later.  Jack and Kayla were able to say what they wanted to one another – their vows kept secret until the day.  It was beautiful.

Would you do a baby naming for us?  Yes, I said.  Annnndddd……. would you do a surprise wedding too?  I LOVE surprises, I say. Who do you want to surprise. Everyone, they said!

The plan was to have a wonderful naming for the little chap (no photo’s, I don’t do photos of children on this site) who was named from a dream, with grandad and dad’s names too.  It was so very simple and so beautiful.  Readings by grandparents and ‘odd-parents’ and the story of his beginning by his lovely parents. Then special candles were lit to shine a light on this wonderful child and to symbolise the joy he brings to the family and the commitment of his whole family to his lovely little life.  A joy from start to finish.

Where does the wedding fit in?  Well it was a conspiracy between the bride and groom, me and the bride’s sister.  The idea was that once the guests had mingled a bit and had a drink after the naming, I would recall them to the ceremony room, which was bedecked in rainbow colours from the naming ceremony. Then to announce the ‘surprise’ element. Along the lines of “Well as you are here, you’ve had the baby naming, we might as well complete the deal with the wedding too!!”  You should have seen the faces…….  surprise, excitement, tears, agog, disbelief and joy. All in one.

Then: Cue music:  in walks Helen in her gorgeous gown and Martin was waiting for her with a grin as wide as the world.  We had a very simple wedding ceremony, enhanced by handfasting and another candle lighting ceremony.  This time four candles were lit from the little chaps candle by Helen and Martin and their mums and those four candles stood guard around his.  It was spellbinding, simple and beautiful.  They walked out to a thunderous I Believe in a Thing Called Love by  The Darkness.  We certainly did after that emotional roller-coaster of an afternoon!

Afterwards the guests were invited to write messages to the little chap in a lovely book which will be given to him on his 18th birthday. Such a lovely thing to do.

Finally there was fizz and cake. Perfect!