My daughters Wedding

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It rained all week in Cornwall. Except on Friday. On Friday it was a perfect English summer’s day, and it was made more perfect still when my daughter Penelope Joanne married James Thompson.

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The venue was the historic castle in the tiny fishing village of St Mawes and after giving James an anxious fifteen minute wait, I walked Penny into the circular room followed by her four bridesmaids and her page boy.

There she stood alongside Jim in front of their proud families and a few minutes later they said ‘I do’

Then it was outside into the fabulous garden with its lush green lawns and ostentatious flowering shrubs for champagne and photographs, whilst just below a flotilla of sailing boats bobbed around on the bluest of seas.

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The reception was held on the Pride of Falmouth, an aging wooden boat which chugged up the estuary of the river Felle. There we enjoyed copious quantities of food washed down with that most quintessential of English drinks, Pimms Number One!

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We travelled through the most beautiful countryside, and passed creeks and islands whilst a glossy grey seal swam alongside in the hope of a morsel or two.

In keeping with tradition, we then moved onto the speeches. I was to kick off followed by Penny’s stepfather Chris, then a very composed groom, and finally best man Spencer. I had been determined to get through my speech without being overcome with the emotion of the occasion, but I sadly came to a choking halt in the middle of the last paragraph.

As we returned to the little harbour, Mother Nature put on a special show for us with the most spectacular sunset I have ever seen.

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Once back on dry land we made our way to Penny and Jims hotel The Rising Sun for farewell drinks on the terrace before the happy couple made their way to the honeymoon suite for the night.

I mentioned earlier that I never made it to the end of my speech. What I intended saying was that I would always remember August the eighth 2008 as the day James Thompson made my precious daughter Penelope the happiest girl in the world.

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You can see my favourite photos of the day by clicking HERE