Wedding Daze Part II

I should have known that marrying a divorcee wouldn't be straight forward. (Doesn't divorcee sound so much better than fecking 'SPINSTER' ???.  Divorcee almost sounds exotic, whereas spinster sounded like I was an old dear on the scrap heap with a grey bun).  Anyway, I digress. Just before Christmas the previous year, my husband-to-be had visited a number of Catholic priests in Kilkenny, so see if they could perform a short blessing on us in the hotel where we were having our wedding reception.

Despite his pleading, none of the priests would entertain this, as Ray would be divorced. I know that he gave them an ear bashing, asking why they would bless cattle in a yard, but not our marriage. He asked if we had children, would the Catholic Church baptise them, and the priests agreed that they probably would. After visits to three priests who all refused to bless our marriage, I was thinking that some of my actor friends could put on the garb, throw a bit of holy water over us and no one would know the difference. It was three days before Christmas and we needed to send out invitations. Someone suggested that we ask a local Church of Ireland Reverend just outside of Kilkenny. We called down to meet him and he agreed to perform a blessing on us in the hotel.

Although it's only ten years ago, most Irish weddings were quite traditional then. I was a bit nervous telling my parents about 'the plan' for their only daughters wedding. Husband-to-be decided that he would tell my Dad. They went down the farm yard. I was chopping carrots with my Mam. A lot of carrots. An hour later, my Dad came bursting into the kitchen, laughing his head off. Turns out that the Reverend had lived in my aunt and uncles house, just down the road from my parents many years previously. Who would have thought ?

Friday 13th February 2004 : Yes, I got married on Friday 13th. My proud dad walked me down an aisle in a room in the hotel and we had a blessing in front of family and friends.

It was simple and lovely.

Without going into detail, I won't say that the earth moved on my wedding night. I did have a great nights sleep though. With all that was going on, I was just looking forward to a romantic night the following night – It was Valentine's after all. The hotel staff, rather sheepishly, told us that there was a mix up with the hotel booking and that there was no rooms available for Ray's children and their friends. As it was Valentines night, there was little chance of any cancellations. We had two options. 1. Look for a B&B for four teenagers or 2. All of us move into a family room. We went for option no 2. Suffice to say, the earth didn't move that night either.

It's now Sunday 15th February. I have been married since Thursday 12th February. My friend Susan and her beau offered to take Ray's crew to the train. We didn't think twice. I don't even know if we even said goodbye. All I remember was the New Husband and I taking off at high speed heading off into the sunset towards Limerick .....