I am a big believer in Fate. That all things happen for a reason. I believe that I am destined for many things in life – both testing and wonderful.
At Natalie and Matt’s wedding I learnt that Fate also has an incredibly, wicked, funny sense of humour. One day we think we’ve got it all figured out: the outlined plans we aim to achieve by a certain age and for the majority of us, the vision of the dream person we hope end up with. For Natalie, Love and Fate worked together to reshuffle the cards and deal her an entirely different hand.
A hand that would have her destined to meet and get engaged to The One within 10 weeks, marrying him eight months later. In her wedding speech (the first bride I know to have given one – that’s our Nat!) she toasted to Love and its sense of humour.
The Heyward’s wedding took place at the Maybridge Community Church in Durrington-on-Sea. Though it was wedding number 3 it was the first proper Christian wedding I attended.
I arrived not knowing what to expect.
As I took my seat, I had the urge to touch up my make up but felt it inappropriate to commit such vanity in God’s house – especially when the band was praying!
Sat in the church hall, I felt calm. Whether it was due to being in a spiritual surrounding or because of the sunlight illuminating the room, I felt relaxed.
For a while I did not worry about work or money or how I would confront certain people if I ever had the chance. I was calm.
The time came for the wedding. I have not seen Nat since graduation so to see her walking up the aisle, giving herself away, in this big, white dress, noticing the look her and Matt shared as she approached him, well I got the goose bumps.
The ceremony lasted one hour. That surprised me as I was used to services where the vows begin almost immediately. Oh no not this time.
Led by the entertaining Pastor Joe Davis, there were hymns, readings, vows and prayers. It was so much fun. Singing the hymns was daunting at first because obviously it’s not something I do everyday but thanks to a lyric book and simple melodies I caught on very quickly.
One of the best parts for me was seeing my high school/college/university friend-cum-date for the day Andy Spearman.
Acting as an usher as well as Matron of Honour (or Prima Dona of Dishonour as Nat said in her speech), Andy is one of a kind.
I’ve known him for 13 years and all the long travelling and expense was worth it to see him looking ever dashing in his suit.
Witnessing him do a reading in front of the congregation was fun because I know him well enough to spot when he is being sarcastic, theatrical Andy – especially when he does not necessarily agree with a statement.
He is after all a trainee solicitor so he’s blessed with excellent delivery and natural dry humour.
For better for worse, I know 60 years from now he will still never fail to raise his eyebrow whenever I say or do something that he disapproves of. More on that later….
After the ceremony Mr and Mrs Heyward had their first dance. Now back at uni Nat and Andy were exceptional ballroom dancing partners. Matt however is not the most confident of dancers but he obviously practised for it. Apart from a slight stumble from him, everything else was perfect. Moving in time together, no one could deny that they are a perfect match.
The reception moved to a hotel, initially it was to be held at the church but the caterer’s double booked, where while unfortunately there was no dancing it was wonderful to just mingle. For me it allowed me to catch up with Andy and Nat because we have not been in the same room for three years! This reception was about sparkling wine, ice cream (more about this in the next entry), buffet food and speaking to lots of people (again, specifics to come in the next entry).
The day ended by 7pm. It was very much in the air that the bride and groom were anxious to spend their first night as husband and wife. After all as the groom is a devout Christian, hence the consummation was a huge deal. It’s inspiring and refreshing to know people in their 20s today whose faith gives them the strength to resist all temptation, living up to their vow of abstinence before marriage. Obviously Nat was not a virgin on the day but she told me that having gone without sex for almost a year, in her own way she waited patiently for The One.
In previous entries I may have joked about the idea of Nat, former lesbian, marrying a man and how I will not believe it until the day. But on the day itself, it hardly entered my mind.
Seeing Nat and Matt at the alter in their church committing to one another, even I could tell they are made for each other. They look right and they compliment each other in every way. Where she is loud, walks into the room and grabs everyone’s attention, he is more reserved and quiet. But they balance each other out. I can tell he keeps her grounded and she brings out the best in him.
As I watched the one-and-only Natalie Clark become Mrs Heyward I thought back to the crazy uni moments, some actually too wild to mention, and her past loves. Not even she could have bet that six years on, Fate would lead her to a completely different place, both figuratively and literally.
Sense of humour indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment