Summer Brides
June, July and August are, traditionally, the busiest months for weddings and we at BDS have been kept busy providing the music at several of these Big Days and, hopefully, doing our bit for the happy couple’s day-to-remember memories.
Months and, in some cases, years have gone into the planning of that one special occasion but the thing that’s at the back of everyone’s mind (especially if the event is to be held in Scotland) is “I hope we get a good day”. Little girls dream of their wedding day and most of these dreams assume that there will be perfect sunshine.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could consult our weather forecasters, say, a year in advance and be told that, yes, the xxth June, 2013 will be perfect weather-wise?
Or there was an App for our iPhones that could do the same thing. There seems to be an App for everything else these days!
So, here in the real world, what happens when the weather decides not to co-operate? Such a day was yesterday, and BDS had a wedding disco half an hour’s drive up the coast.
The Big Day has arrived and everyone involved in making the day run smoothly dares to uncross his/her fingers long enough to get into the Wedding Party gear which requires, as current trends dictate, an off-the-shoulder dress for the bride and full Highland outfit for the groom.
You just know that one of them is going to suffer before the day is out, don’t you? Either the bride will have goose bumps all over her arms, which the photographer will have to try to air-brush out – hopefully, no-one will report this to the Complaints Commission since neither Julia Roberts nor the people from L’Oreal will be in attendance; or the groom will be so hot under the weight of the kilt that the permanent pleats will be put to serious test.
However, what happens if it pours with rain the minute the bride arrives at the church, fashionably five minutes late, doesn’t stop for the entire day and goes on, in typical Scottish style, right through the reception and beyond? Granted, by the time the meal is over and the dancing starts, most of the company is past caring. It’s bad enough when the heavens open and you’re only out doing a spot of shopping. At least you can dive into the nearest shopping centre and spend a couple of hours browsing.
We might even be tempted to say here that this just-need-to-make-the-most-of-it attitude is a very Scottish thing, borne of a long acquaintance with the vagaries of our weather. However, as half the company was native Jamaican, they certainly weren’t going to let a little thing like pouring rain get them down and everyone made the sun shine – at least in that hall – with good humour and laughter and, yes, enjoyment of the moment, which is what it’s all about.
And a new experience for DJ Andy – playing reggae music to an appreciative (though captive) audience while, outside, the water levels were rising. That, and being dragged (not unwillingly) onto the dance floor by one of the bridesmaids.
No thoughts, then, of having to reload all the gear in the still pouring rain and driving back on the dual carriageway at 30m.p.h. because he couldn’t see far enough ahead to go any faster, or passing stranded summer-clad Saturday night revellers who couldn’t get taxis in the town streets, because he couldn’t squeeze another thing into either car or trailer. And, maybe, it was also because he had had to strip off his soaking wet jacket and shirt…..
Ah, Summertime!