Wedding in Telford

The Cake

On Saturday we got up earlier than a week day (poo!) and packed the car with a 3 tier super hero wedding cake, 50 individually decorated biscuits, posh clothes and ourselves.  We drove slowly to the M6 and headed south to Shifnal.  Suzanna and Mark (friends of mine from baby sessions) were getting married at the Park House Hotel.    We left ridiculously early in case of any disaster.  There wasn't a disaster so we arrived ridiculously early.  Oh well, it gave us time to set up the cake (it arrived perfect), hand over the biscuits and then we walked into the town for tea and a bun (it was going to be a late lunch and we were up early as it was).

We then got changed in the leisure club and headed to the bar for a drink.  We thought we had the wrong bar as we were by ourselves for ages, but then bit by bit people arrived and eventually someone we knew walked in so we knew we were in the right place.

Happy Family

Fashionably late we were asked to leave the bar and head to the room where the wedding was to take place.  Everyone was looking lovely - in fact all the children seemed to be in posh frocks and suits - Tom was the most casual - in a posh shirt and smart jeans.  All the others were in ties???!!!!  I guess living in the country has rubbed off on us.  The children were all very well behaved, Tom sat quietly, but as soon as Suzanna entered the room he started holding himself, oh yes, great timing Tom, he needed a wee, even though only 5 minutes before he was insistent that he didn't!  Oh well, this was the one wedding where this didn't matter (the couple getting married have 2 boys - one the same age as Tom and the other 2 years younger).  He lasted for the important bit and then Matt took him out during the photos.  Oh one faux pas from Tom, when Suzanna and Mark walked out of the room hand in hand he said in quite a loud voice: "I thought Suzanna would be more prettier!"  Hopefully no one heard him!  We were shocked and he had a very quick lesson in etiquette on a wedding day and anyway, as Matt said she did look beautiful - Tom obviously didn't know what he was talking about.

Father and Son - looking smart

Elton Tom?

The next couple of hours were taken up chatting and lining up for photos.  We then sat down for the wedding breakfast at 3pm.  The children were on their own tables - fantastic.  This meant that we were able to have adult conversation and relax whilst the children enjoyed themselves, working their way through a huge box of stuff that Suzanna had got ready for all of them - stuffed full of sweet treats and things to do.  It worked wonders, we rarely had to get up to see Tom and during the speeches he and Jake were very happy working together on some activity bits (join the dots, colouring in etc).  Oh, yes I meant to say, it didn't take very long at all for Tom to click back into his old friends.  He was very friendly with Jake - the son of a very lovely friend of mine.  Suzanna knew this and put Tom and Jake next to each other on their table, they spent the whole day in each other's company and were very content.  I guess there are some special friends where the bond is quite deep.  

Rock legend?

We had a very lovely dinner, listened to the speeches - I welled up a couple of times, what is it about weddings and crying?!  We were then asked to vacate the room whilst they set up for the evening, as it was 6pm we decided to head to our room for a little lie down.  None of us slept but it was good to take the weight off our feet for a while.  We then headed downstairs, just in time to see Father Christmas - Tom got another gift!  Then it was disco!

Father Christmas?

Sweaty Angel

Now Tom hasn't really shown an interest in dancing before, but there was no stopping him tonight.  He was constantly up on the dance floor showing his moves.  At the start he was with Jake, but Jake went home early.  This didn't stop him.  It just meant that I had to be on the dance floor with him.  He discovered a new move where he slides between my legs and then I flick him up.  He demanded I do that with him again and again and again and again and again!  He certainly had fun, and he got very hot and very sweaty!

Does my head look small?

Dancing King!

Suzanna had organised a photo booth with lots of silly props for people to go in.  Basically you dress yourself up really funny and take photos which are developed instantly for you to take away.  Great idea and great fun.  We went in there quite a few times.

Anyway, we stayed up until 10pm then Matt called it a night with Tom - and took him to bed.  I stayed up a little longer and then headed to bed as well.  I was really suprised to find Tom already fast asleep.  He didn't stir, even though the hotel room had a very squeaky door.  He had obviously worn himself out.

Oh, in the morning we all went swimming together in the pool.  Tom was doing lengths quite happily and he was out of his depth for most of them.  Yahoooo!  His phobia is sorted, hopefully we won't have tears, clinging and shouting in the pool anymore.