Last year this time we were getting ready for Kavitha’s Indian wedding. The Saturday before was the English ( or rather Welsh) wedding which was held at Lake Vyrnwy. Kavitha and Huw had been preparing for this for the past year. We helped but Kavitha did most of the organising. Now the time had come to see it all in action. We had a lovely time preparing for the wedding. The numerous wedding dress shops and trials and then the fittings once the dress was chosen. Anitha also came along to help. Kavitha dragged us along to the Asian and English wedding shows. The cake tastings, menu tastings, outfits for ourselves and immediate family etc etc. Kavitha and Huw chose the Welsh venue. We helped chose the venue for the Indian wedding. One Saturday, while Kavitha and I were going from appointment to appointment to view the wedding venues, we completely got drenched in a downpour which was quite unexpected. The time which was chosen for the wedding, although in the summer, did not guarantee a sunny warm rain free day. Last year in July we had one of the hottest days in record and this year most of the first week of Wimbledon has been rained off with temperatures mainly in the high teens. Lake Vyrnwy was chosen for the Welsh wedding and the Grand Connaught Rooms in Holburn for the Indian one.
My sister and family came from Canada on Thursday and on Friday morning we set out to lake Vyrnwy. We reached there late in the afternoon. The weather was pretty dismal and it started raining as we got there. The rest of the family and friends soon arrived. That evening we had a big family dinner and met up with Huw’s close relatives.
On the wedding day we woke up to one of the most beautiful days overlooking the lake. Such a difference a day made. The weather gods were certainly on our side.
After breakfast we all got ready. The church on the top of the hill was a short walk from the hotel. The bride, dad, and bridesmaids all travelled in a procession of ‘Minis’ from the hotel to the church. Everything went more or less smoothly apart from small hitches. The day before we had had the wedding rehearsal and we were all told exactly where to sit. I still managed to mess this up by sitting in the wrong row. After the church service we made our way back to the hotel for the wedding lunch and speeches. It turned out to be one of the most happiest if not the happiest days of my life. All the family pitched in to make it the perfect day possible. Huw’s grandmother arranged the church flowers, Aunt made the most beautiful wedding cake and everyone helped with making the wedding favours and table decorations. There was more fun later on when more of Huw’s relatives joined us for dinner and the partying carried on till late into the night. The fireworks over the lake was the highlight of the evening. My sister asked me how we were going to top this at the Indian wedding. At that moment, I was not sure if we were going to be able to do it.
