Kerry and Craigs Wedding!

This weekend was finally the big day. I drove over after work on Friday (I finally finished the course - Yay!). Most of the key players were already there.

We had a quiet night on Friday and were all in bed early. (I didn't get back from London until 1.30am on Friday morning so I was exhausted.)
Saturday morning started quite relaxed. Kerry had brought the ladies dressing gowns especially for the occasion.

Morning preparations. 

The hotel was beautiful. Kerry and Craig made most of the decorations themselves and it worked really well. I managed to get some photos before the chaos began.

Top table

The girls ended up in Kerry's room for a portion of the morning, chilling out.

Ready for the bride

We came prepared

Mom had been saving a bottle of Bollinger for this occasion. We didn't have much (we really didn't want Kerry staggering down the aisle) but it only seemed right to celebrate.

Champagne

The toast

Maid of Honour, starting as she means to go on.

Getting ready is not all glamorous! And we didn't plan the order of dressing correctly. Which required some interesting techniques to be deployed to correct these mistakes. (Usually that came down to me! Yes that is me under the dress.)

Sexy bride-to-be

Some sisterly duties are not very glamorous.

But it was all worth it! She looked absolutely amazing and so happy. 

Happy bride

Kerry and Craig go away in the campers often and brought Trevor (green in the top hat) and Doris (in her fetching veil) to join in the celebrations. They did look amazing and fun. Which king of summed up the whole event - Fun!

Camper van bride and groom.

And the cake was amazing. Not the usual wedding cake but perfect! And very tasty.

Cake.

Trevor Cake

Doris cake

A lot of cake

Very delicate

I didn't see Kerry walking down the aisle because I was sitting at the end of a row. But I did get to see Craig's face. She did look amazing and you could tell by Craigs face. (They both teared up. As did mom and dad.)

Groom sees the bride for the first time

Vows

Teary

Married!

The ceremony was only 15 mins long. After that it was photos, drinks and laughs!

Attacked with Confetti

With best man and father of the bride

And Dad hadn't really been drinking yet

Happy couple

All the brides maids

Family

I haven't had a big brother before but I imagine this is the sort of thing a sister should do. Instead of canapés, they had cupcakes. Kerry wanted to eat one but didn't want the icing so Craig ate it for her. And didn't think the photographer was around to witness this and record his method. He forgot about me.

To embarrass my new big brother!

Cupcakes!

The lunch was really nice and very posh!

Ready for dinner

As a wedding present I brought them some bride and groom bibs. They were partly a joke, but I also know how Kerry is. And they used them! 

Enjoying their bibs

The speeches were good. And fairly short. Mainly because all the speakers were really nervous. But they all did really well.

Nervous speaker

After lunch there was some time to relax and chat.

With the flower girl

friends

Mom side of the family

And then some of the evening guests showed up with their camper vans.

camper van invasion

The best bit was the chocolate fountain. I based myself in this room later in the evening. The chocolate was really good!

Chocolate fountain!!!!

The evening was also a lot of fun. Though dad chose a song for the father-daughter dance that made both mom and Kerry sob!

First dance

Father-daughter dance

With mother son-in-law

Lot of crying going on

It was also the birthday of one of the Bridesmaids. So she got a cake too! :)

Brides maid's birthday!

Page boy enjoying the song

My family enjoy a party

It was a very long day. even Kerry gave up with her shoes by about 10pm. Though the slippers were equally as cool in my opinion. (My heels got switched for flats at about 3pm - I don't do heels.)

The shoes got traded in.

Still going strong

The night finished at abut 12.30am and we were all very happy to go to bed. Well, some did continue it one of the rooms but I was done. Though there was time for some selfies beforehand. My cousin does like a selfie.

Cousin, brother-in-law and dad

mom and cousin

Cousin and me.

It was a fabulous weekend. Though driving back ... not so much. I was behind Kerry and Craigs camper and then Dad (who drove one of the happy couples vans). First Kerry and Craig pulled over. They hadn't broken down thankful (and surprisingly), just had to go back for something. Then 5 mins later I saw Dad on the side of the road. Thankfully he just couldn't get the radio to work! After that I figured I'd just leave them too it! Then I took a wrong turn and got a bit lost. We were all very happy to get home. And for an early night. :)

Easter Weekend

We had a fairly quiet Easter weekend. I had to work the Friday and today so miss the lovely weather on Friday. Saturday we were going to go shopping but everyone else had the same idea so we gave up halfway there and headed for lunch at the vineyard instead. And afterwards, I convinced dad to do a tasting with me (mom offered to drive). The wines there have vastly improved over the past few years. And the serving size is very generous - half glasses as opposed to the normal splash in the glass. Perfect for a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Enjoying the tasting.

Ready

View over the stormy vineyards

 And of course we had to buy some.

Selection

Sunday the weather was hit and miss. But I needed to get out of the house. So we went for a walk over Hawkbatch. But the weather hit with driving rain and high winds. The picture actually looks a lot better than it was!

From under the umbrella.

Of course the sun came out as we got back to the car. So we decided to stop at Habberly valley on the way back for a little walk. We want to go back and do the longer walk. But we were all a bit wet by then. So after a little wonder, went home for tea and cake. :)

Sunny at last

Enjoying Sunday lunch

Time to go back to the car.

This morning we woke up to the last of Storm Katie, complete with snow. And part of the roof had blown off. Luckily it is mostly the ornamental bit on the sides. (We hope.) And the flying bits don't seem to have hit anything important. 

London trip

The end of last week, I headed to London to work for the day with the company I am working with on the Science 2 Data Science course I am on. It was interesting working in the office. The guys in my team are working there on a regular basis so I needed to get my face shown! Though, if I do end up in London, not sure how I am going to enjoy London traffic and noise. :(

On Saturday, I went to the Museum of London (it's free) for some of the morning. Getting there was trickier than expected. Not surprised as whenever I am in London the tube lines I want are either down for work or they are on strike. Figures!

The Museum is interesting to wonder around for a while.

Giant skull 

Lots more skulls

Shield

Part of London city wall

The Museum goes from dark ages through to modern life. Some of the paintings were lovely.

Great Fire of London

However there was a creepy area. I have absolutely no idea what was going on. It was a Pleasure Garden but created by Tim Burton. And I was the only one in there. I left quickly. Really creepy statues in the dark.

Creepy

Super creepy!

The other main point of the trip was a meet up with with the other participants in the program. About 10 out of the 15 could make it and it was nice to meet everyone. Though I didn't recognise some. Skype and Hangout images are not that good.
We got the tube to Greenwich and walked to the Observatory where we spent some time wondering around.

View from Greenwich Observatory

meridian line

View over the Maritime Museum

Sun dial.

Much more useful clock in the UK

Magnolia

Early Japanese TV!

It was a bit bitter sweet. We saw a planetarium show. But it just isn't as interesting to me anymore. It's time to move onto a new life now. I just don't get as excited about space as I once did.

Telescope.

We had a little issue with losing a few people on the way to the meal (they got on a train they shouldn't have). But once everyone got above ground, it was easy to meet up again. Once we all got to restaurant, we had a very nice meal and got to know everyone.

It was a very nice day. Though once again thanks to the tube, getting back to my hotel was trickier than it should have been.

On Sunday evening (after travelling home on the afternoon), we went for a family meal for Mom and Kerrys birthdays at Michelangelo 's.

Kerry, Craig and me

Mom and dad

The food was amazing. I took a few photos. But we all got bored easily. Well, mom and Kerry did!

Kerry got bored.

Then so did mom.

Mother's Day

This year was the first time in a long time I have been home for Mother's Day. So we organized a family meal at the Halfpenny Green Vineyard restaurant. None of us had been to their restaurant before but we will all be going back. 

The family

The soon-to-be husband and wife

My lovely/crazy parents

Happy

The food was amazing and we split a few bottles of the Vineyards Rose wine. Their wines can be hit and miss (it is England after all) but these were really nice! We were going to do a wine tasting as well but were just too full. :) We did venture to the shop and pick up a few of said lovely bottles of wine. They have been redoing the shop and the deli seemed a bit bare. I am looking forward to going back when it is filled as they have some great foods.

Most of the last 2 weeks has been mostly working. I have started my Data Science Course (which is very hectic and a massive earning curve). I did managed to find some time before the course started to grab coffee with Sarah and baby Ben and get some snuggles.

He fell asleep on me

still sleep. 

Gorgeous giant feet

 Last week we took a family trip to Cheshire Oaks, an outlet area, looking for wedding outfits for mom and I. They have some really good bargains. And we made the most of it! We both managed to get our dresses (Mom even got her shoes and bag too) and Dad and Craig did equal damage on their own. Below is just our shopping; it doesn't include Craig and Kerrys. The boot was packed. :) I also treated myself to the cutest bag.

We brought the shops. All of them!

Too cute.