Greetings from the newlywed Baron!
As you've no doubt noticed from the lovely Michelle's pics (she is lovely, I've now met her) the wedding is now over.
It was simply the perfect weekend. The weather stayed beautiful (if a tad cold) for us, with even a nice smattering of frost on the ground for the photos.
Myself and the best man/giver away (step son) arrived at the Register Office and waited for the lovely Baroness to arrive. She duly did and I have to admit I welled up a little at just how beautiful she looked. The service commenced and went swimmingly. Sharon even managed to say 'I will' where she should have said 'I do' thus giving me the ammunition to claim the wedding is null and void every day of her life
Our witnesses joined us in the signing and much to our surprise the Registrar allowed the two children to sign the register too, allowing them to feel much more a part of the service.
My 'wife' and I then then marched through Bakewell with the kids and four guests following behind so that Michelle could take our photos on a lovely bridge over a weir. People passing through the town have taken to locking padlocks to the bridge with their names and the date on them. We had already had a padlock engraved and duly attached it to the bridge while Michelle snapped away.
Sharon stood in her dress (freezing to death) while the people of Bakewell waited on the bridge for the pics to be taken
We then had a lovely meal and revealed the big surprise to the two kids. From the wedding day, their surnames had been legally changed to my own and now their mother's surname. Their 'thank you' gifts were two framed book covers of the Mr Men series with the names personalised. Their little faces beamed when they saw 'Little Miss Hollie Nicholson' and 'Mr Joshua Nicholson'.
Then back to the rented bungalow for an hour or two of relaxing and unwinding before our guests joined us in the evening for take away and hours of laughter and chat.
Sunday arrived and we stopped off in Matlock on the drive home and ambled through a stunning Victorian Christmas market as a family.
Oh, and during the entire weekend, our witnesses/guests/friends allowed us to pay for nothing. The generosity was breathtaking to us.
Finally, when everyone had left and the kids were in bed, we put a CD in the stereo and had a private first dance to our favourite song.
And that, my friends, was that. And now, we're home. The perfect weekend is over and will be forever remembered. It was wonderful.
With love,
Mr And Mrs Nicholson, Hollie and Joshua.