8:21 a.m. HAPPY EASTER! When we got back from the festivities yesterday we were pretty well shot. Had a nightcap from the bar & crashed. I slept horribly though: too much food.

So yesterday we were up @ 7:45, showered & downstairs by 9 or so to have breakfast w/ Alan & Katherine. The (not-very-complicated) breakfast options threw Katherine for a loop, but otherwise it was a lovely meal. Came back to our rooms, got changed[,] did my hair -- for a change, it cooperated -- and I went & sat in the lobby to wait for Katherine, Alan & Jan, Marie & Reg. Oh, forgot to mention that when we first went down for breakfast, Reg was dropping off Jesse for The Official Usher/Groomsmen Shaving Trip. We saw Spence too, looking relatively calm. :-)  Anyway. I sat in the lobby/reception area for about 20 minutes before Katherine returned -- she'd gone to the store for shoes for the wedding because the original shoes were not walk-friendly. By the way, at 11:30 it was already quite warm out; I had bailed on the dressy shoes I'd brought as well, plus the prospect of nylons just sounded horrid. So it was sandals and bare, freshly-shaved legs for me.

Once M&J arrived & we were all appropriately attired, we got everyone moving down the City Walk towards the Town Hall. Stopped @ The Slug & Lettuce for lunch (yes, even though we'd eaten just 2 1/2 hours earlier -- J&M had not). It turns out the restaurant is affiliated w/ Ruby Tuesdays. K&A had potato wedges, we had nachos, M&J split a wrap of some kind. Then we walked another couple of blocks & found the Town Hall, Ben & Jesse standing sentinel outside. There was another wedding in progress, so we all mingled in the hall/entry until everything was ready for Spence & Rosellen's turn. In, sit (like a city council chamber -- odd), Beast in back w/ the Flip, the rest of us near the front. Spence was already in his chair; the presiding clerk (?) across the (huge) table from him, and the registrar under the windows in the corner. The registrar waited till we were all settled & then pressed play on the boombox next to her, and Reg & Rosellen walked in. Beautiful dress, and Rosellen looking so freakin' happy! The clerk welcomed us, and spied Beast filming & TOLD him to come forward where he could film their FACES, so he had to walk thru the room to the front, but in the end he had a great spot to do it. So embarrassing though. :-) Next she asked the whole room if anyone knew of a reason Rosellen & Spence couldn't get married. ~~ crickets ~~ Next she asked each of THEM if they knew of any reason why they couldn't marry each other. More ~~ crickets ~~ On with the legal verbiage. blah blah Witnesses come forward. Legal vows. Personal vows -- sounding not QUITE religious but almost the same as the traditional "richer/poorer ... till death do us ..." Then they were married and they kissed and the clerk started bossing around the photographer for several posed pictures of them signing paperwork, etc. And we were done and back into the hallway.

9:59 p.m. We were shooed outside ahead of the bride & groom so we could throw confetti & take pictures of them exiting & getting into the car to head to the reception. Most of the guests boarded a hired double-decker bus for the trip to Belgrave Hall. We sat in front, we goofy Americans! Upon arriving @ the reception site, we all milled about the gardens for an hour or 2, then we all went into the marquee (tent) for dinner. Oh, there was champagne & snacks on the lawn. J&M and we shared a table with several members of Spence's dad's family, including 2 6-month old babies who are Spence's half-brothers. K&A sat far away from babies, near Jesse & lots of Rosellen's friends (I think). There were speeches from Reg, Spence, Rosellen & the best man. There were a couple of very well-timed thunderclaps during Reg's speech that may or may NOT have been Jean's input. :-)

Then we ate. Lots of Middle Eastern food we Americans couldn't really identify. I wasn't thrilled except for the naan bread, which was great. There was lots of red & white wine at the tables. Dessert was some kind of cheesecake thing with cream and pine-nut brittle that reminded me of Dad. Whatever it all was, it was absolutely great!

After dinner tables were cleared and removed (3 of them) so the dance floor was uncovered and dance music began to play. About 9:30 we had more food -- various sandwiches -- and the wedding cake. K&A and Beast & I bailed about about 10:45 and went back to the hotel. Beast had to go back down to the front desk because our room hadn't been cleaned, and we needed fresh towels. He got each of us a drink while he was downstairs, too. And instead of doing this, I lugged down my white wine and crashed. Or tried to. All that food & loud music had me more amped than I expected. I got up and ate some Tums, but I never did sleep very well all night. I need to take a break from writing before I start on today's events. I'm so tired right now that I could easily crap out, I think (I hope).