Marbella wedding

After a quiet Saturday morning, I drove up to Alhaurin to visit a gathering of the 'Mustard Seed Gang' which is the name of the church's occasional activity event that ministers to children. There were a dozen children and a over a dozen adults there, working on the theme of creation. I could only stay for half an hour, as I had to make my way to officiate at a wedding blessing in Marbella, via La Cala de Mijas, to visit Linda and pick up the wedding liturgy kit. She had planned to accompany me and take part in the ceremony, but was unable to. I wondered if I'd remember my way to the underground car park close to the wedding venue in the grounds of a huge apartment complex with bar and swimming pools, overlooking the sea front, without Linda to navigate for me, but fortunately it was more straightforward than I remembered.

The garden in front of the restuarant, screened from the promenade by tall trees, was furnished with tables to seat 180. A stage and sound system was set up for later performers to use, with a table plus floral arch set up in front of the stage to give the ceremony a focal point. Guests were welcomed by an Iberian harpist, a nice local touch at a Celtic wedding celebration.

The afternoon had been overcast, but as the bride walked down the aisle the sun, now descending to the horizon, penetrated the clouds. A moment of good cheer. It wasn't a hymn singing sort of occasion, but a couple of nieces of the bride sang three suitable duets to punctuate the ceremony.

I struggled with an order of service that I hadn't devised myself. It contained unfamiliar elements, and I'd scan-read it, rather than going through it properly. The couple and I had a talk through but not a walk through last time we met. This was a mistake I won't repeat. In as familiar a ritual as a wedding, whether a full British marriage or blessing following a civil ceremony, what you do binds everything together, far more than words. I'm used to coping with variations in set texts, but only because it all rests on a framework of ritual actions. So, I had to take it slowly, drive carefully, to get us where we were meant to be going. Fortunately, this seemed to convey relaxation rather than the mild panic I experienced a few times.

The very generous buffet meal took a long time to serve out with so many guests, but we sat around the table assigned, drank wine and/or water, nibbling on jamon iberico, before the spit roast pork, salmon and many variety of vegetable, cooked or in salad form, could be queued for. The entertainers started early and worked hard. By the time the sun set it was time for the speeches. Then a flamenco dance group of five women performed magnificently, albeit sadly to recorded music rather than to a live guitarist and singer. But it was beautiful and powerful. 

Then it was nine thirty, time to say thank you and head for home, to rest and refocus my attention on Sunday worship to follow. Several people stopped me on their way out to express their appreciation for the service - if only they knew!

What an unusual way to celebrate the forty fifth anniversary of my ordination to the diaconate. Still in service, still learning, thank God.