Our big wedding still felt homely
Andy and Melissa
It might have rained on Andrew and Melissa’s wedding day in July 2006, but nothing could dampen the warmth and happiness that made the day so special at Christ Church, Flackwell Heath, in Buckinghamshire.
The couple had a large wedding with half a dozen bridesmaids and 200 guests but the homely feel of the church, and the way they were able to reflect their own tastes and style in the service, confirmed to the couple it was a church they wanted to stay with long after their wedding day.
The Revd Geraldine (Gerry) Foster, then a new Vicar in the parish, married the couple, and the principal Vicar, the Revd Christopher Bull, helped them plan the ceremony. This included a Gospel music welcome for guests as they arrived in church, played on DVD, and a saxophone solo played by Gerry’s husband, while the newly-weds signed the Register.
But above all the special details, Melissa said the most important thing to have at their wedding was God’s presence. "We have always felt that marrying in a church and saying our vows to God and in front of family and friends, was the only option for us. To have God’s blessing and assurance and his love and support during our marriage was the most perfect way to start our married life together. I believe that if we chose to have a civil ceremony, we'd have felt like something was missing!"
To have God’s blessing and assurance and his love and support during our marriage was the most perfect way to start our married life together.
While many couples might be disappointed by rainy weather, laid back Andy said they took it to be a blessing. “We had most of our photographs taken inside the church, but the photographer spotted that the nearby vicarage gardens were sheltered by trees, so we had some taken in there too. I think we were the first to do that!” he said.
Andy added: “We had been going to the church services before our wedding and all the care and attention we received from the congregation made us feel completely accepted into the church family. That, along with making our own personal touches on the day, made our wedding a really special occasion.”