Last weekend I was at a wedding in Suffolk. Young folk getting hitched always makes for a happy day, even though I am now one of the oldies – exhausted after one dance when I used to be shimmying about for hours on end.
Needless to say, because it was down south, the weather was fantastic, warm and with a little bit of cloud every so often, so we didn’t get completely over-heated. Gone are the days when virtually every second weekend I would be at a wedding, but this year I have three.
Nowadays you generally have to wear something new to every one of these events – what with everyone taking photographs on their phones and filming the most embarrassing moments for other guests, you’ll be spotted sporting the same outfit. However, as one who hides when I see someone pointing a phone or camera at me and not part of the main event I have given up on this idea.
I also reckon that the only person who will see me at more than one wedding is my husband, who doesn’t really notice what dress I have on so won’t remember. So I shall be saving money by wearing the same frock to all three nuptials. Every year there are reports on how much a guest has to spend going to a wedding – indeed two of mine do involve flights, and one is merely a walk away from home.
The last one of the year is in France, so we decided to go out a bit early and make it an autumn holiday.
Of course, when we announced this at lunch with the offspring, two of them decided that they would join us. Oh dear, we are going to need a bigger Airbnb, was my main thought. Accommodation is, I think, usually the biggest outlay for the invitees. I always pity people who have to come to Edinburgh for a wedding as I believe this city is one of the most expensive to visit in Europe.
A couple of years ago someone told me of a couple who had planned getting hitched a year in advance. Guests had booked hotels only for Taylor Swift to announce her dates at Murrayfield.
Promptly hotels cancelled existing bookings and trebled their price. I guess it made it impossible for some to afford to come. Let’s hope she doesn’t come to Toulouse in September.
