The torrential downpour stopped at 2pm and we all thought that was it. On the way to the wedding, the road had flooded.
Just about all the way, cars were having difficulty.
As we entered the road to the New Mill, I took a shot behind us of the chaos. Some cars had broken down, which was to prove difficult later, as the registrar got stuck in the logjam.
We got Stewart there and there was time to take some formal wedding photos. The Groom.
The Groom, Stewart and his Best Man, Martin.
James, Sewart and Gary. The Groom with his two bodyguards..err sons.
James and Stewart
Melanie's younger sister Amy, her younger brother Harry and her Grannie, Marion.
Iain, Melanie's Dad and his mother, Mel's Grannie, Marion.
Iain, Amy, Harry and Marion
Amy and Harry
We weren't going to eat out on the patio. The water carried on rising and started to enter the bar, where we evacuated all the furniture to higher ground.
Stephen the Maître D. (If he had been given the chance) rolling a barrel of beer into the bar, because he knew that later he wouldn't be able to get to the store.
The older gentleman is Charlie, Stewart's Dad waiting for the other guests to arrive.
Alastair, Melanie's nephew and Matt, her niece's partner, wade through the rising waters towards the entrance of the restaurant
Two more nephew's, Edward and James arrive the same way.
Matt and his partner, Melanie's niece Kate.
Mel's nephews and neices, James, Edward, Alastair, Kate and Katherine.
The registrar's assistant, Julie the singer, Graham, Melanie's brother in law. The name of the lady on the right will be filled in when someone tells me her name.
Submit names of guests please.
Ditto
Stewart's Mother and Father, Beat and Charlie
James moves the walkway to a new place where people can cross more easily.
The Bride arrives with the help of a JCB.
Two friends(to be filled in), Melanie, Sally her elder sister, Pam, Brian, Melanie's Father and the youngster who helped out with the JCB.
James helps Melanie across the walkway.
James needs a swig from his bottle and leaves Melanie to complete the journey alone.
Meanwhile, in the bar, the water has filled up one room and is threatening to overflow further. All the male guests, rolled up their trousers and helped Stephen and the staff, move the furniture (again) out and round to the restaurant.
You could still order a drink, such was the dedication of the staff.
Now it was snap a picture wherever and whenever possible. This is Mel and Julie, who was going to sing with a band at the reception. The Band couldn't get through.....
Julie again.
Melanie , Stewart, Pam and Brian.
The water continued rising, I had taken photos here previously, but now it was impossible.
Father gives away the Bride.
At least they were going to get married. Nothing else mattered.
During the ceremony.
The registrar marries the couple with the river rising outside the windows.
Amy reads a Pam Ayers poem.
The ceremony continues.
Mel and Stewart get married.
Somebody says they will.....
Graeme reads an extract from Good Housekeeping 195?.
Phew, we're married. What are we going to do now?!
Cut the cake obviously.......
and get out while we can. Stewart and Gary, the stars of the wedding, lifting Grannie to safety.
Martin doesn't want to crease his trousers, so he takes them off. Mel roars with laughter.
And the Bride is evacuated.
Where the wedding car ceremoniusly collects her....
and gives her a lift.
Stewart joins her in the bucket and they chug off to start their new life together.
All the family want a photo of them in the JCB.
And the valiant staff, who got left with the mess. Thanks to all of them for helping the wedding go so well. They were so cool. Maybe they cried later, especially when the flood receded and they saw what there was to be cleaned up.
On the longish drive to dry ground, we passed several houses like this one.
At last, dry ground.
A lady in the house beside where we were dropped came out to find what was going on and when she found out, she brought out a bottle of champagne and glasses so that Stewart and Melanie could toast themselves.
Here Martin the Best man joins in.
And rightly so, the lady finishes off the bottle.
This is the van that was going to take us home.
Inside the van.
Still inside the van.
Marion, who only ever drinks out of a glass, makes an exception.
An improvised spread at Mel and Stewart's place. As we had to clear out of the restaurant as fast as possible, quick thinking Amy sped off to the supermarket to buy food and all the ladies mucked in to set it out.
Brian and Pam take it easy.
Clare, Melanie's old friend from years back.
Names please.
More names please.
Julie sings and ? plays.
Latin American Dance champion Stewart whirls his new bride around the room. A great wedding, to be remembered for a very long time.
