My brother's Wedding Festival

So on the 3rd of September 2011 it was my brothers wedding... he was the last of us 3 to get married. And seeing as Boz and I had already had such AMAZING weddings (here and here), the competition was on! Although he had an advantage - they had a whole wedding FESTIVAL. And Nicola, the most amazing girl ever, and now my sister in law, had organised it all.
It started with the hen and stag do's, followed the next day by Edinburgh breakfast and castle and a haggis evening, then the actual wedding day. Which dawned fresh and overcast on all of us glampers.
It did rain quite a bit in the morning, and up until about 20 minutes to go, then it suddenly cleared up marvelously for the beach ceremony - what luck. So here is Nicola on her dad's arm, being piped onto the beach. She was very relaxed as you can see!



So then we all moved to the tepee for champagne and bitings for about an hour or so....during which we HAD A FLYOVER!!!! WOW!!! How amazing is that?! Mark organised it and was so chuffed it happened. Weather and schedules played along! The crew were even hanging out the side of the sea king. It was BRILLIANT.

So after that excitement we all went inside. The Teepee looked brilliant and the atmosphere was just electric. Mandy of all people was the MC for the evening and promptly got on the stage. Which is where she spent A LOT of the night. I can't remember the exact order of the speeches, but Nicola's dad gave an awesome funny and revealing speech about Nicola. He told us how she was such a perfect brownie and how she always liked to win! Daawie, Mark's best man, gave a very funny speech about Mark. He has just too many funny stories to tell of stuff that Mark has done or they've done to him over the years. Eg taping a tin of pilchards to the bottom of his bed in his room at res. He couldn't find it for months... especially cos they removed it when he cleaned his whole room out... and then put it back! Mark gave a great speech where he thanked everyone and told us even more about Nicola. Basically that she is so generous and has a heart of gold. And how scarily clever she is! He started off his speech saying that her mind goes 'tick tick tick tick tick tick tick' non stop, whereas Mark's goes 'tick .......................................tick .......................................tick'! Mark also spoke of the fairies in his life (me cos I ALWAYS organised everything!) and how my sister and I are his favourite people in the world. Although Nicola is now his wedded favourite ;).
In between all of the speeches Mandy was on stage thoroughly entertaining the crowd. She told everyone how her and I, on the other hand, had been expelled from brownies! And how Mark had been a springbok scout. ie. uber nerd. I was in a very cocky mood and would add in chirps from the table whenever Boz was speaking. I think we were very funny. Not sure what everyone else thought! Mandy also spoke about the 3 of us now being married well. Although I am married to a GERMAN. She spoke of Mum and Dad and how they shaped our lives. At one stage she just got up on stage and got everyone to clap for her with their arms up.... as if she was a pro high jumper or something!
So as the meal was being served I nipped off to go and put Nicolas to bed, and to chat to the babysitter who was a lovely old lady from nearby. Nico was a star and drank his whole bottle and went to sleep without any fuss. Another couple bought their baby into our tent to sleep for the night too... I was worried that when he woke up he'd wake up Nicolas, but Nicolas stayed sleeping until 7am the next morning. What a star! Especially with all of us 8 tipsy folk coming in at different intervals to go to bed and of course ALL the noise from the nearby wedding.
BUT, as I left to put him to bed, one of Nicola's surprises performed at the wedding. She'd organised for three opera singers to serenade everyone - and boy were they loud! I head them clearly from our tent and was very sorry to have missed the whole thing. But Benedikt videoed it all so I got to see it later.
When I got back to the reception I ate my divine meal - quinoa and yummy salad & veggies - and enjoyed great conversations with 2 of Nicola's bridesmaids who were next to us on the main table. Next was the seriously good piper who played some fantastic popular scottish tunes, which got everyone going, as if the crowd wasnt already in the mood!
Soon after that the dancing began - and it didn't stop. The band led everyone through a lot of those fun fun fun organised dances. My favourite (probably because it was also the simplest) was the one where everyone stands in 2 long lines. And a couple moves down the linking arms and spinning around with each person then linking arms with their partner and spinning around. Its a lot of spinning and jumping around. All the dances were actually - I LOVE Scottish dancing!
Later on in the evening we were all given sparklers to wave and chinese lanterns to let loose into the chilly night sky... as ever they were a bit tricky but a lot were successful and they looked really pretty floating off together.
At one stage in the evening, Adam, who I mentioned in one of my previous posts balanced first a wheelbarrow on his chin. THEN A KAYAK. I kid you not. Photographic proof coming soon, so come back.
Then there was also a fireworks show! It was brilliant. I've never been to a wedding with so much entertainment.
The next day Nicolas woke us at 7am as per usual and we tried our hardest not to wake our fellow glampees. We hung around until 11am and then it was time to leave - BOOHOO.
It had been SO cool to meet Simon, my Aunt Stef's Count. He was a laugh a minute, and Mandy and I were particularly fascinated with him and his posh accent and own tartan!
Another bonus had been my favourite Aunt and Uncle had been there, with my cousin Fin who is now a Russian Model of note! We spent loads of time with them and we've hopefully convinced them once and for all to come and visit us all in AFRICA.
My dad's older sister, Urszula was also there, she was a REAL laugh with all the young men in uniform - we couldnt control her!
I spent far too little time with Adam, Lizzie and Jen but saw enough of them for a catch up over the last 8 years or so. Lizzie and Jen are both so clever and musical and talented, I just know one of them is going to be famous one day!
The wedding festival in the meantime, continued on until the Monday afternoon when Mark and Nicola left for honeymoon. The plan was for them all to climb a nearby volcano and watch the Ediburgh Festival fireworks on the Sunday evening.

And if I'm honest, I think Mark won the 'Best Wedding' competition.
Although Mandy and I each loved our own weddings more.... because of who we married