Just impedimenta...

You won't find me at many weddings. The last one was my cousin's four years back. His first wife had died after a long and very painful illness. So he buried himself in work overseas, met a really nice widow in Hong Kong, and they did the obvious thing. It was a great day. Good to see him happy again.

And then ... lunchtime today, singing with the Chorale at a service in the next valley.

Forewarned by the chaos of our little concert a month ago, conductor-chappy checked the musical apparatus before the off and pronounced himself happy with the upright piano at the back of the nave. We did a warm-up. And then the service began.

The vicar had a different way of putting it, mind. "Ladies and Gentleman, please be upstanding for ... the Bride," he said over the Tannoy. But he forgot to switch off his microphone. "Right," he added, evidently addressing the maid in question. "Here we go, let's rock n roll!..."

Bit of a joker, his Reverend Vicarship. Word is, he was an Army padre, which might explain his bluff manner. And he's a comic who doesn't like hecklers in the crowd.

The service reached that point where his Reverence asked: "If anyone knows of any just cause or impediment why these two... ye are to declare it." There followed the usual dramatic pause. Then someone on the groom's side flicks a switch and we hear the unmistakable sounds of a flock of sheep, bleating...

Brilliant. Simply brilliant!

But the Reverend Sir's nose was put of joint, big-time. He huffed a bit. "I, er... I always like a bit of humour... er, but... " The guy was lost for words. "In view of that, we will continue the ceremony in WELSH... Dai Bach Cwm Rhondda Yakki Dah..."

And a few more phrases of a similar ilk. Then he realised the bride was terrified, and that his own joke had perhaps gone too far. So he reverted to English, and the moment passed.

But well done, whoever thought of that ruse. Classic!

The other thing that struck us, watching from the sidelines, was the style of the ceremony. Bride wore white with a flash of red piping on her dress. Groom and practically all the men on both sides wore ... KILTS. The full Celtic regalia: sporrans, those neat short jackets, white socks, gartered. Very smart. It was a Welsh wedding, and two burly rugby-types explained that the tartan, too, was Welsh. Interesting.

It was a hot day. Wonder if anything was *worn* underneath...?

Oh, and finally. As usual at these things, there was an official Video Cameraman, earning an (untaxed?) crust as recorder of the goings-on. A fellow songster leaned over and whispered: "That's Ivor. He did time years ago, for selling pirate videos. But it was only three months in jail..."

Only three months, you say?

That's OK, then.

*hugz*