A date with Sarah-Kate; Kate’s home truths
Some of Sarah-Kate’s favourite nuptial stories
I’m a great believer in weddings. Never mind the marriage and whether it’s to the right person or likely to last. The shindig to celebrate it tends to be a doozy.
Ours was no exception. It’s the first time I can remember having a party where all the guests I wanted to come were there and everybody I didn’t couldn’t get in. Actually, it’s probably the last time I had a party like that too.
Our wedding guests had such a good time, we ran out of wine. And the supplier had warned us we were over-catering! But the best man rustled up some blackmarket chardonnay from somewhere, and the festivities continued with delicious food and lots of dancing – three of my favourite things.
We weren’t the only people getting married around that time (25 years ago). In fact, we travelled hither and yon to other people’s nuptials. One of my favourites was that of friends who married in Otaki. As part of the ceremony, all guests were invited to reach for a scroll under their seats, which when opened, had the words to “That’s Amore”, which we all then sang.
The Ginger and I travelled to a castle in Ireland once to celebrate an old mate finding her Mr Right.
We loved a beachside swapping of vows in Fiji – especially as I had introduced the couple making them. And I’d earlier match-made another pair who wed in splendour in the UK with yours truly in attendance.
I was a bridesmaid on my 25th birthday – my sister was married on the deck of our west coast house at sunset – and the editor of this very magazine had a stunning wedding on the opposite coast some years later.
They’re always such joyful occasions. I mean, no matter what is going on in your own life, you can’t be grumpy at someone else’s wedding, unless perhaps you are paying for it, but even then, you’re not paying to poison weeds – you’re planting a hopefully happy future.
Sadly, the wedding invites seem to dry up at some point. But after something of a desert for a decade or so, a few flowers have recently bloomed. A dear friend of many years married for the first time at the start of the year. I never thought I’d see that day! And my cousin Tim, same age as me, also married for the first time a couple of weeks ago. He’s been with his gorgeous partner for years and operates a wedding venue, so I’m not quite sure why he was dragging the chain! But when he attached it to a ball and got hitched, the Lynch brigade was there in full force – if a little late due to sloppy reading of the invitation.
We cousins were very close growing up but don’t get to see much of each other these days, so being all together for such a happy occasion was mint. We laughed, we ate, we drank, we danced and we rejoiced. And the world needs all the rejoicing it can get its hands on these days. If you’re thinking of taking the plunge, don’t be selfish – do it!