Phil was the perfect gentleman, alighting from the limousine and opening the door for Mary.  Her attendants guided the folds and layers of her wedding dress and arranged her train carefully.  Such a picture card perfect image as Mary stood still, waiting for Phil to escort her into the cathedral.

Her bridesmaid carefully positioned the veil over Mary's face, this was a traditional white wedding with every detail being observed.  Not for Mary the modern day trend (or should we say ignorance) of the bride not covering her face with her veil. the very solemnity was so lost by the omission of this simple rule.

The sun shone brightly in a vivid blue sky, it was a perfect Spring day for a wedding.  Mary almost forgot to breathe, she held her bouquet carefully, noting the trembling of her hands and leaning close to Phil, her father figure for support.  He looked resplendent in his wedding suit of pale grey with his pink carnation in his lapel.  These same pink carnations were etched into her floral bouquet of white and lemon orchids with a smattering of maiden hair fern and of course wide at the top and tapering to the base.

Her bridesmaids took their places ahead of her, Jake's cousin in her fairytale pink tuile gown and Jim's relative in her more sophisticated, deeper pink taffeta gown.

They made their way up the church steps and stood outside the majestic doors which were wide open and watched as the last few guests slipped quickly inside to take their places.

The organ music rang out and the young girl in front made her way slowly up the aisle, each step measured out just as they had been rehearsed and then the next bridesmaid and finally Mary and Phil,  Mary reverting back to her deeply embedded shyness, a pale pink blush diffusing her face, hidden behind her diaphanous veil, through which the outline of her face and features showed but the flush on her cheeks was hidden and her eyes, dewy with tears, which she dared not shed, lest it spoilt her beautifully and expensively made up face.

It was her day and thus far everything had gone without a hitch.  In the distance she saw Jim and his two male companions turning to watch her entrance and Jim looking more handsome than he had ever looked before.

At last the walk was over and she took her place beside Jim, she had marvelled at the number of people who had turned up to see her take her vows, but all of this was just a blur, her whole attention focused ahead and now they were listening to the Minister, helped by the Minister of her local church.  This was a day that Mary thought would only ever exist in her dreams but now they were taking their vows and the beauty and solemnity of the service was etched forever on her mind.

It was over all too quickly and Jim placed the ring on Mary's finger and responded to the Minister's "and now you may kiss the bride" raising her veil as he kissed her gently on the lips conveying both restraint and love and Mary felt as if all the world had stopped to bless her.

For the first time Mary took in the magnificence of the sun filtering in through the stained glass window and wondered how anyone could even think about marrying anywhere else but in a Church, receiving God's blessing in the house of God.      

Any vestige of tears had disappeared as Jim proudly escorted her to the annexe to sign the marriage register.  She looked deeply into Jim's eyes, this would be her wedding night, but mindful of her waiting guests she looked quickly away again.

The Wedding March rang out accompanied by the ringing of the bells in a cacophony of sound so magnificent and pure and then once more in a blur they were outside the Church and the confetti was flying and the flashbulbs firing.  They were now Mr. and Mrs. James Brown, oh what a wonderful feeling.

She accompanied Jim to the reception and was amazed how everyone seemed to know what to do.

It was a wonderful celebration, the food was a gourmet delight, toasts were made and the usual speeches, which, by request had been cut short, and then the newly weds took to the floor for the wedding waltz, the old fashioned one, which fortunately they could both do and had had a couple of lessons to brush up on.

Others joined them and with well wishes, congratulations, photos and the cutting of the cake, the receptions was over all too soon and Mary went up to her room to change into her going away clothes, a soft cream linen suit with a deeper cream blouse and on her lapel a family heirloom brooch, one of the few items which her Mother had left to her.

She was helped by the bridesmaid and told not to worry about her dress and things left in her room, arrangements had been made to take care of these things.

Jim led her out to the car and seated her beside him, leaning forward to kiss her and saying with pride as he whispered into her ear, "I love you, Mrs. Brown", such a plain name but I guess we can't have everything.

Then they were off, the day was ending and despite Jim's best efforts to avoid it the tin cans rattled from the bumper bar and someone had quickly and deftly sprayed the back window with "Just married".

It really was a most thrilling and awe inspiring day, with Mary aware of her parents death and of how they would have loved to have seen her married but she was strangely comforted by the many friends and Jim's relatives who had helped make this her very special day, and Mary breathed a sigh of contentment and very real happiness as she snuggled closer to Jim, she didn't even know where they were headed she just knew it would be wonderful to arrive there to celebrate her union with Jim in the Honeymoon suite.

The expenses had been huge but Mary did not regret one cent of it, she was just so happy she could afford it, thanks to Great Uncle Cyril.

They were swallowed up in the dark night, left to enjoy this very special time together, well away from prying eyes and that includes ours too.