Yee Haw!!

Hi. It’s me. Danielle. Remember?

So sorry to all you readers (all two of you) for the delay in updating. Blogspot has gone and ‘updated’ – which is taking me twice as long to find my way around! I’m not a fan of change.
I’ll see at the end if I can work out how to upload photos…. hmmmmmm I could be some time.

Anyway, let’s go back to after the last update. Claire and I were about to head North for the wedding. Scott left Christchurch on Wednesday 11th April early early to drive up with his nephew, and groomsman, Trent. On the way through Blenheim they stopped and picked up MORE wine from Lance at his work. Result!

Scott and Trent made it up to Warkworth on Thursday afternoon which was pretty good going having stopped for the night on the way.

Claire and I flew up to Auckland, also on the 11th. Gavin came down and picked us up from the airport so it was nice to catch up with him on the journey back to Mum and Dad’s. The Southern Barts had been in Warkworth since Good Friday as there was a Mahurangi College reunion on Easter weekend. I couldn’t go up both weekends so Claire and Scott’s wedding won by a whisker. Quite a large whisker.

It was lovely being in Warkworth. The two mini Barts were just delicious. Hazel running all around and Annabelle talking up a storm. Loved it! They had an endless supply of Aunties to read and play with them. It didn’t take too long for us to cotton on to Annabelle – if one Aunty didn’t give her the answer she wanted she would go to the next one. Ha ha. Smart cookie!

The day of Claire and Scott's wedding was amazing - beautiful sunshine and blue skies. Amelia, Claire and I went to the hairdressers at 9am for our hair and make up. Averil came down at 11.30am with snacks and drinks for us to keep fueled up. Then back to Hill Street to get our glad rags on.
Our bridesmaid dresses had only just arrived on Friday morning after a LOT of phone calls to the courier company. The dresses were not the correct colour (they were supposed to be grey but were more an eggshell blue) and they were without sashes. Luckily the guys outfits were matched to the dark purple lizzianthus in the bouquet and NOT the grey dressses.

Claire looked gorgeous! Her dress fit her like a glove and she looked relaxed, happy, and radiant. She was so excited all morning - just as a bride should be on the day of her wedding.
Arriving at the church as quite nerve wracking – even for an experienced bridesmaid like me! The wee flowergirls, Annabelle and Lucy, were waiting out the front with their parents ready to get the show on the road!

Monsignor Tonks walked down the aisle first, then, when he had made it to the front, Annabelle and I held hands and walked down together, followed by Amelia and Lucy, and then Claire and Dad.
Scott looked as pleased as punch!
Annabelle was so good and stayed standing up the front with me throughout the whole service.

After the service we had some photos taken around the garden of the hall, then off down to the bridge, band rotunda, and in front of the old Puhoi pub. The photographer did an amazing job and made it all very relaxed. He got some great candid shots of guests too.

The evening was lots of fun. Starting with speeches which were heartfelt, short and sweet. Dinner was supplied by the Spit Roast Company and was delicious. Annabelle sat up next to me for the entire meal – she had a starter of peanut butter sandwiches to keep her going until the main was served. She was such a good girl.

After dinner, and the cutting of the AMAZING cake (made with love by Amelia), the dancing began. It all started very restrained but after a wee while (and a few more wines) the barn dancing, knee smacking, hoe dancing began. Such fun!!

Claire and Scott got picked up at midnight by a limousine courtesy of Mum and Dad. And the rest of the riff raff got picked up by the shuttle bus and driven back to Warkworth. It was a long but super fun day and night.

The next day, after cleaning up the hall, we had a bbq at Mum and Dad’s which was nice to reminisce over the previous nights antics. I think most people had an earlyish night as a lot of people were returning home the following day.

Claire and Scott left Warkworth on Wednesday for the drive South, taking their time and enjoying married life, returning to Christchurch on the Saturday.