Worth Travelling Half Way Round the World For

As a brief interlude from the warm weather, blue skies and beautiful smiles of Cambodia, we went back to good old England and its grey clouds, cold days, miserable rain and interminable traffic jams. Hmmm...

But Anna's wedding at Christchurch in Dorset was one of the loveliest days we've ever had. The rain even stopped for the duration of the ceremony. Perhaps not surprisingly, we had travelled the furthest among the many friends and relatives who it was so lovely to see (although, to hear of some of the journeys from the corners of England, I'm not sure that our journey was actually the longest).

Some of the pictures are ours, but thanks go to Kenny for most of them. Anna's best friend from school (and bridesmaid), Sarah, & her partner Kenny took time off work to look after Anna & Ben for 4 days before the wedding, doing everything from housework to chauffering (or butling as Kenny succinctly put it). I honestly don't think Anna would have had quite such a big grin on her face the whole day if she had not had such fantastic support. So thanks again you two.

Arriving at Parley Manor

The lady in red in the next picture is Emily's mum. Emily designed & made Anna's beautiful dress & jacket, & sewed all the beads on the jacket. Her mum very kindly gave Anna the lovely silk & lace for the jacket & helped Emily with the making too. The lady in the black spotty dress is the wedding co-ordinator at the Manor & she did a fabulous job of making us all feel very special & relaxed at the same time - which is quite an art.

Nearly ready...



eeek!



Here she comes...



Here we go!



Just sign here Sir...



It's legal...



...and there are witnesses...



By Jove we did it!



With the lovely bridesmaids, Sarah & Kate (Anna's big sister)

... and the proud (okay I know I look smug!) parents. Ben's dad Paul & his wife Christine not only travelled down from Manchester, bringing lots of Ben's family too, but Paul did a fantastic service to the wedding party by driving us all back to our various hotels & b&bs after the reception. What a star and many thanks again.

Anna's lot...



Ben's lot



That's number two sorted... only one to go (I'll drink to that!)



Hmm... what can I say?...



God Dad... you're so embarrassing...



Poor Ben, it was all too much...



But Wibbly Pig came to the rescue!



Wow! I'm a married lady!



First dance

Tristan did a lovely job of the reading from Captain Corelli's Mandolin that Anna & Ben chose:

Love is a temporary madness; it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

Little Brother



Well that was a nice day!

We're back through the looking glass now, so more about Cambodia again soon. In the meantime, please don't forget the need to keep supporting VSO through our Justgiving page at www.justgiving.com/jagoteers.