Here is some good news in these troubled times. Last Friday, just hours before the UK went into lockdown I got married! Regular readers will have heard Mr R mentioned a million times on this blog, and now I am thrilled to officially be Mrs R. Here are a few photos of our happy, happy, happy day.
Can I get a witness?!
My parents insisted that we go ahead and we followed guidelines on social distancing as much as we could. There were 11 in the wedding party and we did our best with reducing contact. We sat my folks well away from the London crowd at the reception. My mum insisted this was a “special table” rather than a “naughty table” but my dad was a bit naughty as usual, so I think the latter stands. They loved every minute and insisted that they wouldn’t have missed it for the world, “even if they tried to lock all the Oldies in their houses.”
Up until the very last moment we really weren’t sure if everything would go ahead and we feel so very lucky that we JUST made it under the wire on the very last day of weddings in Sudbury for a while. A big thank-you to the lovely registrars at Sudbury Town Hall.
Our wedding cake was cancelled so the resourceful groom and best man constructed something beautiful with a frozen chocolate cake from Iceland Frozen Foods and four doughnuts from Greggs!
We had arranged to stay 3 nights at the legendary Wentworth Hotel in Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast after the big day…
not least because it was a favourite of one of my idols Joyce Grenfell. When we arrived we learned that in this enormous hotel there were only us and two other guests. The amazing and lovely staff had given us the best room in the hotel as they knew we were newlyweds. The room had a lovely balcony right on the seafront, where we mucked about quite a bit.
The charm bracelet was my mums and I wore it as my “something old” on the wedding day.
Almost everything in Aldeburgh was closed, although the legendary fish and chip shop was battling on so we had a lovely Sunday lunch alfresco in the sun.
All other meals were served to us in our hotel room as the bar, restaurant and lounges were all out of bounds. We found it all thrilling, especially when dinner arrived like this…
and I can’t tell you how much I got a kick out of dialling zero and saying, “Oh hello, this is Mrs Rathbone in room 10. Please may we have two pints of San Miguel?” Thank heavens for room service! The food was absolutely top-notch, just look at this lovely breakfast in bed!
We had a wonderful, wonderful few days even though it was surreal how places were closing down around us one by one. My only sadness is that 3 of our guests couldn’t make it to Sudbury and many of the small companies that worked hard to make our big day so special are now on hiatus. So a huge shout out to all of them follows. Please try and support your local businesses in whatever way you can in these troubled times my lovely readers. They really need us now.
Staff at The Wentworth Hotel were genuinely concerned with making sure we had a lovely mini-honeymoon despite all the restrictions. We will definitely make a return visit and request room 10!
My divine wedding suit was tailor-made for me by the fabulous Nicole of Nicole Merkerrin London Couture who lives very close to me in Muswell Hill. I loved every single minute of the design, fabric selection and fitting process and the outfit is something I will treasure and wear many times in the future for sure.
The lovely Millie and Faye from Lipstick and Locks in Sudbury were so much fun and made myself and Mr R’s sister Julia feel like movie stars. They said it was the most chilled wedding hair and make-up they had ever done! Me and Jools think we should be on the next Sparks album cover – Kimono My House anyone?
My mum was a florist so a few months ago she came with me to select flowers for my bouquet, corsages and buttonholes. Becki and her team at Juniper Flowers made such beautiful creations. They included lots of my favourite flowers in my bouquet including Hydrangeas for my “something blue.”
The gloves were made for me by the lovely Rosie of Slipstitch in Muswell Hill. Such beautiful handiwork and something to treasure forever. I have inherited my love of knitting from my mum and she said she needed a lockdown knitting project so I have ordered a jumper’s worth of yarn from Rosie which she’ll send up to Suffolk today. Remember folks, even if your local businesses are shut, there may be ways you can still support them during these difficult times…
My mum knitted a fabulous scarf to match the gloves, I was very matchy-matchy!
Last but not least, Michael and his team at The Angel With Rooms in Sudbury were absolute superstars. They were completely calm in the unfolding crisis and made sure the room we had booked looked beautiful, the food was all delicious and the booze flowed freely. We were the last people to have a drink with Michael before the pub closed its doors for a while. If you happen to be reading this after the crisis, please go and stay with Michael at The Angel, he’s absolutely the best host in the world.
So before I cry, I just want to thank everyone for ensuring we had a fabulous day just before the world went completely topsyturvy. Oh here’s one more shot of the boots!
Love to you all from Mrs Jenny Rathbone xxx
50 responses
Love you Mr & Mrs Rathbone
So many congratulations to you both Jenny. Love the pics and blogs too! Don’t know if you remember me but met you a few times through Gabs! Lots of love! Lydia xxx
Aww, thanks so much Lydia! Of course I remember you. Hope you are doing OK in this very strange times xxx
Love you Mr & Mrs Rathbone
So many congratulations to you both Jenny. Love the pics and blogs too! Don’t know if you remember me but met you a few times through Gabs! Lots of love! Lydia xxx
Aww, thanks so much Lydia! Of course I remember you. Hope you are doing OK in this very strange times xxx
Everything about this is beautiful. Congratulations!! May you have many, many happy years together.
Everything about this is beautiful. Congratulations!! May you have many, many happy years together.
Gorgeous! Congratulations to both of you!
Gorgeous! Congratulations to both of you!
Love your uplifting post, Jenny! So happy for you both! All the best!
Annette
imannette.net
Love your uplifting post, Jenny! So happy for you both! All the best!
Annette
imannette.net
Congratulations Jenny! It looks like a perfect day and honeymoon!
Congratulations Jenny! It looks like a perfect day and honeymoon!
Omg … I love you both! This us just brilliant! Keith and I are both weeping with happiness for you both! Xxxxxxx
Omg … I love you both! This us just brilliant! Keith and I are both weeping with happiness for you both! Xxxxxxx
Oh, congratulations! It’s lovely to see something like this during such a weird time. 😀
Oh, congratulations! It’s lovely to see something like this during such a weird time. 😀
Mazel tov!!! So exciting… 😉
Mazel tov!!! So exciting… 😉
Congratulations! It looks like a beautiful day and you are a gorgeous, smiling couple. xx
Congratulations! It looks like a beautiful day and you are a gorgeous, smiling couple. xx
Oh that is such wonderful news! all the very best Mr and Mrs R! xx
Oh that is such wonderful news! all the very best Mr and Mrs R! xx
All the best in the world!
All the best in the world!
Oh, Jenny! I logged on to make sure you were okay, to be greeted by this news. Best wishes to you, and congratulations to Mr. Rathbone on his extraordinary good luck at getting you. Please stay safe.
Oh, Jenny! I logged on to make sure you were okay, to be greeted by this news. Best wishes to you, and congratulations to Mr. Rathbone on his extraordinary good luck at getting you. Please stay safe.
Congratulations! I”m so happy for you. Finding your other half is the best thing in the whole world! n_n
Congratulations! I”m so happy for you. Finding your other half is the best thing in the whole world! n_n
Wonderful photos, you both look great . What larks ! And you can’t beat fish and chips al fresco . I have 3 – count them 3 good chippies round here . And the last meal out I had before lock down was F&C with my brother and I can’t wait to eat there again . … Were you singing ‘I’m getting married in the morning, but get me to the chips on time’ ! Have a long and happy one .. Mark xx
Wonderful photos, you both look great . What larks ! And you can’t beat fish and chips al fresco . I have 3 – count them 3 good chippies round here . And the last meal out I had before lock down was F&C with my brother and I can’t wait to eat there again . … Were you singing ‘I’m getting married in the morning, but get me to the chips on time’ ! Have a long and happy one .. Mark xx
Aww, thanks lovely Mark. Now those fish and chips already feel like a long time ago. WHEN can we have fish and chips again?! Thanks a million for your lovely wishes. We MUST get together when all this craziness is over. Jx
Aww, thanks lovely Mark. Now those fish and chips already feel like a long time ago. WHEN can we have fish and chips again?! Thanks a million for your lovely wishes. We MUST get together when all this craziness is over. Jx
That is so wonderful.
That is so wonderful.
We must . Come over and I’ll bake the Spaghetti loaf cake !
Oh hell yeah!!
We must . Come over and I’ll bake the Spaghetti loaf cake !
Oh hell yeah!!
Such wonderful news and beautiful pics and narrative – love it!! xoxo
Aww, thanks Lee! Hope all is well where you are in these crazy times. Kisses from London – Jx
Such wonderful news and beautiful pics and narrative – love it!! xoxo
Aww, thanks Lee! Hope all is well where you are in these crazy times. Kisses from London – Jx