Our Son’s Wedding 23 September 2007

We have just returned from a very hectic (by Cape Town standards) weekend of wedding activities in Johannesburg. It started with the bachelor and bachelorette parties on Friday evening, just an hour or two after our arrival in Johannesburg. To our surprise Bryan and I had been invited to participate in these functions and had a great deal of fun at our respective parties.

On Saturday the bride and groom treated the mothers, sisters and bridal party to breakfast and a massage at a local Spa. It was wonderful. Thank you guys! This was followed by a visit to my sister and her family in Pretoria for a few precious hours with my Mum, brother and their family up from Durban for the wedding. Then it was back to Johannesburg to shower and change and head out to a local restaurant for a delightful dinner hosted by the bride and groom for the wedding party and their partners. Another very enjoyable event and another big thank you guys!

Sunday. What a wedding! My new daughter looked gorgeous and you can see that they are very much in love. She really knows how to organise and that means organise in a big way. It was absolutely wonderful, a real fairytale wedding held at Long Meadows in Fourways. A friend of the bride for 20 odd years did one of the readings. There was not a dry eye in the house! The speeches at the reception were magnificent with more tears and much laughter! The food was superb and the music just right. We danced the evening away.

Monday was a day of farewells. We wished my brother and his family, who were driving back to Durban, a safe trip before setting off for the Palazzo Hotel at Monte Casino for breakfast with the newly weds. After bidding our son and his new bride bon voyage and a wonderful honeymoon trip to Thailand, we headed off to O. R. Tambo International Airport, a little early so that we could spend a little time with my Mum who’s Durban flight left an hour before ours to Cape Town. We won’t talk about signage in and around Johannesburg! Even the Garmin was confused at times!

Flying south to this beautiful part of South Africa in which we live, the sun was low and bathing the mountains in its golden glow. We were again reminded of how privileged we are to live where we do.

I went to collect my house keys from a neighbour and she congratulated me on now being a mother in law! What is this new label, “mother in law”? Sounds gross! I am just me and always will be.

Guys, may your years together be filled with great joy and happiness. It has been an honour to share with you your exchange of vows and commitment to each other. May you not only be husband and wife but also best friends, lifetime companions, lovers, nurturers and soul mates!

We love you.