Finally, I'm done. You can now check out the slide show, save (if you register with Kodak gallery - free) and/or order genuine photo reprints of Jan and Les' Wedding Photo's here

There are 282 photo's in the collection, so enough for everyone...

R42
28082007-2239 Zulu
28082007-2339 Local
Ave del Prado, Marbella, Spain 

As is the tradition with these things, there was a reception party to celebrate the wedding. This one was an absolute stonker. My experience is that there are a few details to get right, simple things really, and if you don't get em right, the wedding is remembered forever for those things. If you do get them right, they fade into the background, and everyone remembers the party for the fantastic celebration.

There needs to be a balance between the formal/traditional aspect, and the down-to-earth/intimate family aspect. This reception hit the nail squarely on the head. The entrance, the speeches, the cutting of the cake, all were there, but they all were stamped with the Les & mum "lack of pretension."

Alec kicked off as "father of the bride" and brought a certain familial nostalgia to the affair. Not to mention a reminder of the Clark Scot, Malay, Dutch, South African, and Sussex heritage. Then Les, who should give up the day-job, had everyone in stitches - seriously Kenny has nothing on him. Finally, Nigel or "Squid" his best man brought down the house. He handed over to me to share a greeting from my dad, whom couldn't make it to the wedding.

The food was fantastic as well. It's not often that you enjoy every course at a meal catered for that many people, but we did. Prawn and Avocado starters, Medallions of Chicken, finished off with a chocolate mousse dessert. Even the kids were catered for, with pasta, chicken nuggets, and the same dessert as the adults.

Then the party. What's to say, we were all staying at the hotel, the bar was open, the the DJ/entertainer was brilliant.

The real kick-off was Jake the Peg, with his extra leg. Then Amanzi and Charis were invited to play another rendition of their pieces, with Lu accompanying on the piano. Lu stayed on the piano, playing along to a couple of numbers, and I was roped into singing backing vocals to a couple of them. Before long, Stu and Gaz joined in the singing, and the dance floor was packed. I can't remember when last I enjoyed a party as much, or laughed so hard.

Inside - disco, Outside - chatting around tables, all well lubricated throughout the night. The piece d'resistance came at 1am with a round of pizza's being served.

Of course there were the family tradition-making events, like the groomsmen attempting to climb the tallest palm tree in their underwear, but that happened long after this one hit the sack.

All in all this was a GREAT wedding, the party of the Millennium.

R42
25082007-0200 Zulu
25082007-0300 Local
Taberna del Alabardero, San Pedro, Spain 

To the strains of Celine Dion's "From This Moment", my mum and Uncle Alec (standing in for his Uncle Charlie, mum's dad), took a stroll down the red carpet to the altar. The red carpet was a reasonable facsimile for an aisle, and a trestle stood for the altar.

Sometime during the afternoon, Gaz, the youngest of my two brothers, identified that there weren't enough chairs out for the seating plan. The day was overcast, threatening rain, so the wedding planner had put half of the chairs inside a marquee as a contingency plan. However, as the afternoon wore on, it became obvious that rain wouldn't eventuate and we'd need the chairs outside.

The sky cleared as Stu (the eldest of my brothers), Gaz, and Ray ushered everyone to their seats. Suddenly the temperature soared, and the hotel staff fell over themselves trying to erect parasols to provide shade.

Ian, the DJ, hit play on the CD, just as a gust of wind blew, Don, the pastor's, notes off the altar. This led him to forget to ask everyone to stand. Les, Lucy, and I managed to attract his attention, and he asked us all to stand just as mum and Alec reached the red carpet. To the casual onlooker, this all looked relaxed and planned, but it was touch and go for a little while.

The ceremony itself was a simple affair, which was just as well. My mum asked me to do the reading, which came from 1 Corinthians 13 (vs 4 - 8 & 13), that famous text about Love. The appointed time was after the welcome, which was a lot shorter than I was expecting. In fact the Rev. Don said

 "Welcome everybody in the sight of God at the union of this man and woman."

and that was it, showtime! Of course I took it in my stride, stepped forward, stood at the mic, and read eloquently. It wasn't until afterwards that Lu pointed out I did the reading with my sunglasses on, and I discovered to my chagrin, that my zip was undone. As well, we all looked like something out of "The Godfather" anyway.

Don led Mum and Les through their vows, and gave an amazing address. I wish I could remember all of it, but some of the nuggets were:

"Always want each other, but don't be in want of each other
Always embrace each other, but never encircle each other"

Amanzi and Charis, accompanied by Lu on the keyboard, played their pieces during the signing of the register. For those that were still dry-eyed after mum coming down the aisle, it all ended here. They stepped up, and after a minor confusion over where they were to stand, and which way they would face, they played brilliantly. Everyone was tapping along to "When I'm 64" and got all teary to "Wonderful World." Charis kept glancing at her Granny Jan, and smirking into her trumpet.

 After that we headed off across the lawn, to the hotel dining room and terrace for cocktails. Of course for mum, Les, and and us, the family, it was also time for the photo's.

R42
24082007-1830 Zulu
24082007-1930 Local
San Pedro, Spain