I feel like I've been dragged behind an American Airlines 777 for two gabillion miles, but man, was it fun!! Yesterday in London was sunny and gorgeous, even though we spent most of it at two different airports. While I wait for Fred to download pic's of the wedding, I'll try to get right down to it, using my feeble memory as my guide. Seriously...like I could forget a single detail of it. Not. The morning of the wedding, we all went to the Blue Grotto which was a total blast. Our boatman sang for us--I'm sure they all do. Then we went back to eat lunch, and while the guys did whatever guys do, we all helped Andrea do her hair, etc.
OK...here goes and I may have to break it down into parts. When we arrived by cabs at Villa San Michelle, Benji, Brett, Brian, Cam and Erin, and me all were treated to a quick tour of Axel Munthe's home, though he never actually lived there--his SO, a Countess, did. She was known for being quite the flashy dresser in Capri, and walked her pet leopard with a diamond collar, on a leash in town. Sort of like Sis....not. Anywho, the Villa is set way high above the entire city of Capri, in Anacapri, and overlooks EVERYWHERE. Think an Italian version of the Arboretum, only schmancier, and you're close. The tour ended with us in the spot where Erin, Andrea's bridesmaid, and then Andrea, would walk up a narrow walkway, with her daddy, that was a pergola, covered with grapevine, natural flowers, wood fern, and a million other fabulous plants. Hydrangea bushes were everywhere and had flowers the size of a small basketballs, all over them.
Prior to the wedding, Benji is now down with the guys getting dressed so he can't see Andrea, and she rides over to the ceremony with her mom, to get dressed, etc. Erin and Aubrey are with her, also, doing girl stuff for the bride. Also, let me interject here that American didn't get Erin's bag to her, so Erin, the solo bridesmaid, has run all over Capri, to find a white dress to wear as the only bridesmaid, the afternoon of the wedding. To see her in the pic's, you would NEVER know---she is the picture of grace under fire, all tan and gorgeous in the one shouldered dress she found, that Aubrey took a small tuck in so it would fit Erin. Just thought you needed that little behind the scenes tidbit. Back to the wedding.
We lined the walkway to watch Andrea walk up---OMG---and then Benji waited up on a terrace, for her to appear. Because things were running just a tad behind schedule, I had snooped next door in what appeared to be a chapel, and found a multi -tiered wrought iron candelabra--with candles already lit. It was just screaming to be a part of everything. Soooooo, worried that the light might be fading, the officiant and I STOLE it out of the chapel, and put it on the terrace. Kleenex alert: this part is a killer. Flickering candles, a violinist and a guitar player, Canon D, and you can just do the rest in your head.....Andrea's flowers were pale white roses and pale, pale pink ones, (I think), her dress was a strapless lace and pearled, with a sequin underlay, sweetheart neckline, that V'd in the back, and she wore one white flower on the left side of her head, with her GORGEOUS hair pulled back slightly, on that side. She was completely stunning. Jaws dropped, Marianne and I smiled so hard we both thought we were going to levitate, and the officiant, Rosa, started.
(I'll post pic's as soon as Mr. Slow Poke across from me gets them off the camera and over to me. It's not easy like our old camera was or I'd be doing it myself.) OK...back to the wedding. Yak, yak, yak, and then the vows. Benji first. And he started, and then got choked up. Well, yeah.....um....just a litttle gorgeous and emotional?? Then he swallowed and was back on it. The whole time they are holding hands, facing each other and Andrea is smiling, helping him through EVERY word. Then it's her turn. Calm and composed, with a smile on her lips, she says hers, and they both relax. Then they exchange rings, and do that part. As we look out over all of Capri and it's twinkling lights, fireworks are going off. I swear. I'm not making this up. We all just looked at each other like "whaaaat?" Must have been for another wedding or other celebration but it worked just fine for us. They went off again at the wedding dinner.
Yak, yak, yak from Rosa, a few hurry up Rosa eye rolls from all of us, and she pronounces them man and wife, they kiss, kiss again, and we all jump up clapping, hugging, squeezing, as Brett, Benji's best man goes over to open two bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne he bought, to toast them with. The venue had supplied the beautiful champagne flutes on a silver tray, off to the side. Meanwhile, two photographers have been climbing all over everywhere to silently snap pic's. Seriously, these guys were ninjas, and that's when a bat flew out. I heard it but thought it was just a regular bird-- thank the good Lord I didn't know--or I'd have flipped out. Fred was sitting beside me filming the entire wedding, as his low battery begins flashing, and we are praying it won't konk out on us. If we look at each other, we are going to hoot out laughing. Oy, vey.
The photographer made a million pic's of everything and then went next door to the chapel, where there was an ebony baby grand piano. Benji sits down and starts playing and singing "Let's get it On" by Marvin Gay, and we all collapse laughing. Then we decided to make pic's of them there...Andrea's flowers on the piano, her watching him, him looking at her...oh, honey....the honeymoon could have started right there.
He's still working on loading the pic's so stand-by and as soon as he gets them loaded, I'll post a few. Then later we'll get into the wedding dinner, the post dinner wrap up on the roof with Marianne and Francisco, so go get some more coffee and check back later.
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