Here is a blog from my fab team member Laura:
"We woke to beautiful blue skies on the morning of Saturday 20th April 2024. After a week of wind, cloud, and rain, it was a beautiful sight!
I was excited to be heading into TW1 to officiate the Civil Partnership of Tom and Becky, at the lavish Octagon Room in Orleans House Gallery. Set on the river amongst wooded garden grounds the Octagon Room is a surprising and intimate venue in the heart of a bustling and cosmopolitan suburb in the great City of London.
The room was set with seats in the round, for optimum engagement for the couple and their guests. A string quartet was tuning up to play for the guests’ arrivals, there were bubbles in the fridges and cake being delivered (... by the skin of its teeth, as it happens!) for a fizz and cake reception on the lawns after the ceremony.
Flowers were framing the beautiful big windows of the room, and the golden chairs began to fill with family and friends of the couple. Excitement and anticipation filled the room for the couple and their upcoming ceremony.
Tom and Becky arrived at Orleans House and walked happily into the room together. Becky wore a gorgeous golden silk dress, and the flowers were pale pinks and creams, mingled in with lots of natural greenery.
Tom looked very dapper in a blue suit with a pale pink tie to compliment her dress and flowers. Tom's stepfather Mark gave a dramatic rendition of Marriage Morning by Alfred Tennyson which set the scene for the rest of the ceremony.
The couple made promises to each other, and their guests made promises to support their relationship. Then their friend Nika read ‘To love is not to possess’ by James Kavanaugh – a great reminder of what it means to be in love!
The couple had requested a relaxed and fun ceremony and in the short time I had known them, I'd found they were quietly hilarious and wanted the guests to experience a ceremony full of both love and laughter. As I shared their love story the couple and their guests laughed about the challenges and adventures the couple had shared so far in their years together.
Chris, Becky’s brother then read a final reading – Love by Roy Croft, which reflects on how being in love with another person affects how we are and feel, and in turn how they affect us.
The couple went on to emotionally share their vows in front of their closest family and friends. Then while we signed the couple’s celebratory certificate one of the guests jumped on his motorbike and dashed over to the reception venue to collect the cake topper which had accidentally been delivered there!
The couple were presented to their guests after signing their certificate and left the room for a few quiet moments together. Chris, Becky’s father jumped up and gave me an unexpected kiss and hug – he was so happy and overwhelmed by the ceremony!
Their guests gathered on the steps of the external door of the room and Tom and Becky then left the Octagon Room, accompanied by the beautiful playing of the string quartet, to be greeted by their guests and a shower of pale cream rose petals.
The happy party then gathered for bubbles and a slice of cake, (with the topper safely retrieved and in place!) and the sun broke through the clouds to dapple them all in beautiful spring sunshine!
May I take this opportunity to wish Tom and Becky the most wonderful adventures with Carlos their dog, and who knows what the future holds, but I’m sure these two will be having adventures and overcoming challenges together for many years to come!
Congratulations!
Laura x"
