Our Wedding 2nd.April 2011
Most of the wedding slideshows can be found on the home page. I have not been able to post them here as I intended. You may have to scroll back a fair way to find them some were posted immediately after the wedding so will be found in the earlier posts, early April in fact. Try using the search box.
I want to share with you this wonderfully appreciative letter received from a friend at Downham:
Dear David & Wendy,
Didn’t you do well? Oh what a beautiful day for everyone lucky enough to be invited to share in your wedding. Squeezed in a friendly five in a row we sat at the back of the United Reformed Church with the choir. The atmosphere was so happy and full of love for you two. The church was alive with happy smiling people so glad to be there. The speaker system was first class. The reading, the song so beautifully sung by Ruth (Carol would have been so proud of her) It was all so delightful. Of course being at the back we were first out to parade with you to St.Mary’s. With sunshine, music and a glass of wine to sustain you for the second part of your wedding. Rope in the first, ribbons in the second, the hymns, the choir, the sounds so good, the surprises just kept coming. It doesn’t happen without a great deal of preparation, your work certainly paid off. I enjoyed hymn no.14 by David Atkins. Another talent. When we all held hands I got to speak to a very nice gentleman (bell ringer – not sure?) from Maldon. He had a very strong Essex accent. We were sitting at the back so the bell ringing team could sneak out quietly to play their part in “the wedding of the year”.
You looked a little surprised when we came out of church, just as I was to see you two facing back into the porch. But this was no ordinary wedding I suppose. I expected you to parade to the reception and greet everyone there.
Thank you Wendy, you greeted me by name. I expect David had just whispered my name through his teeth! I can imagine he whispewred quite a bit through his teeth that day, overseeing every little detail.
In the past I have visited Hadleigh and St.Mary’s to find the bench with wolf’s carving on the end. We admired the Tower building and the fancy chimney pots, never thought I would never get into the Deanery garden. What a beautiful place for a grand wedding reception and banquet among the magnolias.
I had the nerve to ask how you would feed so many. I thought it might turn out to be pot luck with all of Hadleigh bringing a dish. Boy was I in for a surprise. Greeted with Bucks Fizz, the marquee from the chandeliers to the floor covering, the live music, the food, the wine, I’m thinking this must have cost a fortune. Perhaps I shouldn’t be saying all this but I was taken aback by it all.
You two were splendid. You managed to speak to everyone. You kept smiling all day Wendy. You must know everyone wants you to have a happy life together.
On arrival in the car park the car next to us opened and the couple got out and said “you look like you’re going to a wedding”. Yes I replied David and Wendy. Same here they said, we are friends of Wendy’s and they – D&W are just so suited to each other. Everyone had the same thoughts. The car park was full of people introducing themselves. Oh yes we are from Downham, yes that was the living before Maldon. We sound ancient but remember you with affection.
It was so generous of you to share your day with so many. A day I for one will never forget. Thank you.
Kindest regards, E.
Here are pictures taken by Geoff before and after the first part of the wedding in the URC Church:
We have received so many wonderful greetings cards, all of them relished and appreciated. Thank you all so much. This one is so original and so apt I had to show it to you all! Thank you Moira & Andrew.
As many of you already know I have fallen in love with the most wonderful man in the world!
We are announcing our engagement and are hoping to marry in the spring of next year.
My husband to be is the Reverend Canon David Atkins, recently retired vicar of All Saints Maldon, Essex, canon of Chelmsford Cathedral. David has recently moved to Hadleigh where he planned to retire with Carole his late wife who he had cared for through 28 years of disability due to muscular dystrophy. Sadly Carole died before the move, in 2008 two months before the death of my Alan.
We have sold both our homes and have purchased another one in Hadleigh, where David is already a much valued member of the ministry team at St.Mary’s.
Double click the pictures for massive enlargement!
THE WEDDING
Our wedding is planned for Saturday April 2nd in Hadleigh Suffolk. It will be in three parts. At 12.00 midday we assemble for the first part in Great Meeting United Reformed Church. Then we process (to brass band music) to St.Mary’s Parish Church for a blessing and communion. The informal reception will take place in the adjacent Deanery garden by kind permission of the Dean and his wife. All our friends are welcome at all or any of the three parts, there are no formal invitations, but it would be good to know if you are coming. The whole event will be over by 5.00pm. Please do join us!
WEDDING PRESENTS
Several kind people have asked what we would like for wedding presents. We appreciate their generosity, but our home is already overflowing with equipment and ornaments that we have both received over the years. We are endeavouring to downsize rather than accumulate. An idea has occurred to us and we hope that you might be inspired to contribute to this fund.
When we were in Fiji last year we visited a remote village on the Sigatoka River called Toga Village. There the primary children have to cross the river to go to school. The pre-school children have lessons out of doors in the village as they have no place to meet. They asked tourists to contribute to a fund to build them a kindergarten. If you would like to contribute to this fund, a small scale development which would mean a lot to the people of the village, please make cheques payable to us and we will arrange for the monies to be sent. Sigatoka River Safaris has agreed to buy the building materials and transport them to the village which is a long way from the coast and civilisation. The Methodist minister Rev Bose Sasaroko is our contact in the village and Josh Ratukuno will handle the project from Sigatoka. Please let us know if you are interested in contributing. There will also be a retiring collection at the wedding.
As a result of the contributions at the Pancake Party and two very generous donations the Kindergarten Project fund has already reached £442 – 14th.March.
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