Thursday

Wedding Shock

We’ll never forget that wedding in a Bournemouth centre church five or six years ago while we were waiting for that magic moment to photograph the arrival of the Bride and her proud Dad escorting his lovely daughter to her Wedding Ceremony. As the splendid white Rolls - Royce slowly approached the church entrance and the chauffeur opened the rear door for the Bride and her Dad, a loud voice was heard from within. “Where is it?” she yelled. “Where have you put it?”

“Where the hell are my beautiful flowers?” she continued . . . (We quickly sensed that all was not well.) “I thought you had them with you dear. Aren’t they on the front seat?” replied Dad. “Of course not” she ranted on . . . “You silly old twit” (or words to that effect). “Isn’t that just like you?” she continued vehemently. “You were carrying them when we came down the ruddy stairs!”

“Oh dear” said Dad, “Whatever are we going to do now?” – “I’ll show you what I’m going to do!” screamed Sally. With that she grabbed the two-foot long strip of plastic flowers from the rear window of the Rolls. She then angrily exited the door the driver was holding open, stomping off into the church clutching the plastic blooms with Father following closely behind.

There we were, trying to get that special photo of the Bride’s arrival at the church and all we could see was Sally’s back disappearing into the church being chased by her anxious Dad. We had to forget the shot at the porch entrance, as we followed Dad and Sally into the church. “Do slow down Sally! Be careful, - calm down!” said Dad. “Don’t you worry” she replied as Dad reached out to try to help her. At that very moment he must have inadvertently trodden on her long trailing veil. Suddenly the whole lot came away, and with it her expensive hairpiece plus her beautiful bejewelled tiara! Sally stood stark still, frozen to the spot and so did we. Her 4 bridesmaids rushed to her side to try to help.

“Oh Lord!” groaned Dad, (but I fear there was no help coming from that quarter!) The congregation having been asked to stand, all turned round, many in eye-popping horror and disbelief as the Reverend rolled his eyes to the ceiling and stopped the organ playing Here Comes The Bride.

“Please be seated for a moment”, he said and ”peace be upon you all”.

When Sally was finally ready she left the plastic flowers where she had dropped them, grabbed Dad’s arm and walked down the aisle with a smile to the applause of her guests. The ceremony then proceeded after one of the ushers had been asked to retrieve the Bride’s real bouquet from her home on his motor-bike.

But all’s well that ends well and despite the “blip” we got some super photographs of that wedding after the Bride’s bouquet had been safely returned to her, the tears had dried and she had forgiven her poor Dad.