A gay wedding

 On Friday, Ann and I were in Middlesbrough for the event of the year - the marriage of Mike and Ryan. The wedding was scheduled for 11:30 in the registry office. We arrived at 11:00, where we gathered on the steep steps to the old Victorian  Town Hall. 

Mike and Ryan with Theo

Ben and Luke

 The two special men were dressed in matching suits and very smart. They and the two fathers were taken into the registrars room where a gentle, patient woman guided us through the brief requirements for the ceremony and verified that all names were correct for the register. Ryan and his father went first to wait before the table, then I walked Mike down the aisle; the first time I have had such a special privilege and I was honoured to be asked. Each father was asked in turn if we were happy to support the wedding, answering "I do"; we then sat as the ceremony proceeded. It was a moving event, with great commitment from Mike and Ryan. The registrar asked if anyone present knew any reason why the marriage should not go ahead, at which point Mike turned to look at us all and said, "if any of youse lot says anything, I'll kill yer!" making everyone laugh. Then little Theo, dressed to match the two men, shyly brought up the ring box with the two rings inside for each to wear. 

Ann and I at the wedding

The two men at the reception

The wedding meal was limited to the immediate families, but as each groom was one of five siblings, this was still a large number. Ann and I sat next to Mike and opposite Ryan's parents. To our surprise and an emotional delight, they gave us each a book marked "John" and "Annie", carefully put together by Ryan with some of our poetry illustrated with appropriate images. We were moved to tears at such consideration.

The reception was held in a large venue in Middlesbrough, so large indeed that Ann and I wandered into someone else's reception, and Richard and Chris went into a 50th birthday party upstairs. Mike and Ryan's venue was quite special: tastefully decorated with a dance stage backed by a "Mr and Mr" silver sign. The disco was loud, the food plentiful, and the cake huge. We had returned to the hotel after the meal where I fell asleep, so we were a little late and missed the cake cutting, but not the eating thereof. Almost our whole family was present, including my two brothers, Richard and Peter, and Peter's daughter Laita, whom we hadn't seen for many years. There is so much hatred, bigotry, prejudice and oppression in this world, it was truly wonderful to see so much support for this wedding, where even old traditionalists could see two people committing to each other in love, and celebrate their happiness.

Ann and Chris

With brothers Richard and Peter

Lucy with Lucia and Mateo

Rosie and Matthew

The next day, we dropped Ann to see her sister, Jane, while I slipped down to Middlesbrough to see Arwen and Nye, the grandchildren we had missed on the day. Then, a tiring drive home down the long A1 to two mad dogs thrilled to have us back. Altogether, it was a fantastic day and worth the great effort of getting there. We wish them both well in their commitment to a life together.