indi

Hi folks - well this is the first opportunity I have had to sit down and tell you about our big day.
First let me start by thanking all of you for your lovely messages via the nook.

The wedding was held at 4:00 on the 22nd of September at my sister’s beautiful house in the Perth hills. It was a glorious spring day that came smack bang in the middle of two weeks of rain. The Gods were truly smiling upon us.

Al and I had wanted to greet people as they arrived but everyone arrived earlier than the invitation specified so we were not quite dressed and ready - it didn’t really matter however and all enjoyed an extra glass of wine and the spectacular surroundings. I had asked one of my brothers ( who is a very accomplished artist and can make anything out of paper) to make my bouquet for me. He went beyond this to decorate the house with hanging paper roses complete with white paper doves - had to be seen to be believed!

The ceremony was simple and quick - I thought that I would be nervous or embarrassed, but I was neither and Alain didn’t try to escape once.
Alain sang to me one of his songs - The Happy Sound Of You - as his vow to me and I used an ee cummings poem that I have loved for many years as my vow to him. I knew the poem by heart and so was able to deliver it from the heart. ( a friend of mine said afterward that he now knew why he had never married - because no woman had ever said anything so beautiful to him).

Alain had chosen a ring for me that had come to him through an unexpected source, a stunning gold band engraved beautifully in panels, made in the 1890’s in Australia. The rarity of Australian jewellery from this era means that I not only have a ring that I adore, but an heirloom as well.

Whist we signed all the paperwork my darling niece sang for the assembly In My Life by the Beatles and when all was done my younger brother proposed a toast - “a wonderful and totally organic future together”.

After this we were all free to enjoy the party. We had opted for finger food as we did not want the trouble of hiring tables and chairs etc for a sit down dinner, but we also wanted the food to reflect Alain’s philosophy on food ( it must be of the highest quality and plenty of it). Our caterer came through for us beyond our wildest dreams.

We started with:
Tartlets of Brie & Cranberry and Prawn Chili and Capsicum
Meatballs on Rosemary Sticks
French Crepe Rolls filled with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraiche, Cucumber and Onion
Then we grazed for an hour or so on:
Large Antipasto Platter filled with stuffed pepperdews, marinated mushrooms, fennel, aioli dip, marinated prawns and octopus, Asparagus, French Beans, Baby Tomatoes etc with a large basket of New Norcia Breads and Glazed Turkish Rolls with dips and olives
Large Fruit Basket with Chocolate Mousse Dip, Brie and Mersey Valley Cheddah and crackers
Large Pork & Veal French Terrine with port and vermouth flavours served with a port syrup sauce.
Red Pepper Terrine - Roasted Red Peppers moulded with layers of chargrilled eggplant, zucchini, tomato reduction and goat cheese.

Following all this we had:
Coriander Chicken Skewers and
Roasted Large Leg Lamb with Pomegranate Molasses & Red Pepper Mousse glaze

After this - as if we were not already stuffed full Alain served the wedding cake which he had made himself. A four layered lemon cake made with home made lemon curd (which he had made in Melbourne and transported tenderly to Perth in his suitcase) topped with lemon icing and decorated with daisies from the garden. It was MAGNIFICENT!

The company of the evening was wonderful and seemed to be a perfect blend, as Al and I could not be prevailed upon to invite people who we did not want ie: distant relatives, long lost family friends and the like. Everyone there was there because we loved them and they loved us.

I loaded up my ipod (thankyou Nook) with all our favourite albums and hooked it up to the speakers for music for the evening and I believe that everyone had a brilliant time including our two children who seemed to have been replaced by angels for the day ( not one tear or cry or winge even when they were so tired they could no longer stand up).

I luckily have two professional photographers in the family and many others brought cameras and I will post a few piccies as they come to me.

Overall the wedding was one of the highlights of both Alain’s and my lives so far and certainly the nicest wedding either of us have ever been to, a sentiment echoed by many of the guests, of which there were 40. And when you consider that we brought the whole thing in for under $2500 - including my dress and shoes it was a really remarkable day.

Al and I went to Pemberton, in the southwest for three nights following the wedding, the details of which I need not go into!