IT’S impossible to ignore the awful news stories of the last week, the murders of three little girls, the violent reactions in the public arena. The news that keeps piling more and more horror on the head of Hew Edwards, who has admitted to vile behaviour as reported in news papers:
“Huw Edwards, once the BBC’s most senior news presenter, has pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children.
He admitted having 41 indecent images of children, which had been sent to him by another man on WhatsApp, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
They included seven category A images, the most serious classification – two of which showed a child aged between about seven and nine.”
Sadly there are so many reports of men and women who are steeped in the awfulness that is viewing sexually explicit photos and videos of children being abused. Without doubt there is a satanic wind blowing around us.
When I look back all those years, our wedding was a great day. Church service, reception organised to perfection by my parents, Dad the accountant and Mum planner. Invitations printed and posted, menu selected, order of service decided and dress bought. When I was trying it on in Brands and Normans, I fainted and apparently was looking spectacular lying there all in white, including my face, only severe black eyeliner spoiling the the virginal vision. I went to May’s Market with a couple of friends and bought arms full of flowers to decorate the church, our friend Pat took the photographs and an aunt baked and decorated the cake.
Compare this with today’s fashionable wedding where a professional planner is employed to take the stress off parents and the couple themselves. I was at a wedding last week where I met Joanna Ryan who works exclusively at a large stately home in Scotland. She’s responsible for over 30 couples a year with numbers growing following Covid when men and women didn’t meet and marry in the usually way. Religious ceremonies to humanist and from straight to gay couples tying the knot. The planner has to be well versed in all situations and in Joanna’s case she graduated in the subject and holds a degree, She had been a scientist specialising in molecular biology when, in 2014, she volunteered to work with the Glasgow commonwealth games and she obviously did a good job as organisers told her she was a natural and had she ever considered event planning, this lead to concentrating on weddings: “And I’ve never regretted my decision.”
Of course, every planner is different just as every wedding is unique to the people involved. Joanna explained that she has worked with couples who knew exactly what they wanted and she helps them bring their expectations to life on the day or over a weekend in some cases. This involves bringing the guests together to meet and bond perhaps over an evening supper, the actual ceremony and the meal, dancing and the next morning breakfast before people head off with happy memories and wave good buy to the newly weds still in the glow of their special day. Sounds easy! But it’s not. For some planners it’s a year of working closely with the couple, guiding them through their plans, giving ideas, developing themes although some people just present the planner with a budget and tells them to get on with it!
Up Up And Away
Some are very specific as Joanna told me: “I once had a Harry Potter theme and we had an owl delivering the rings – at least that was the plan. In rehearsals it worked well, I’d the bird on my arm and at the given moment he flew off to the groom. However. You’ve guessed it, on the day the bird flew up to the ceiling and round and round and I was running around with chicken legs trying to get it back down to earth.” She is always at the back of the room ready to watch out for any technical problems, to give cues to caterers and to work with the photographers. But, if the couple stay overnight, her day starts with a planned visit even before they get dressed in their wedding attire. “I sleep in my motor home that night because it’s important to make sure I see them early and make sure they are relaxed and happy, sometime nerves can get the better of them or they might even be too laid back so I am part advisor, part designer and part councillor!” If you have a planner then a lot of the stress is lifted, the responsibility rests on their shoulder. Joanna sums it up: “If anyone sees me running then there’s a problem, I’m like a swan, serene on top but my feet a paddling furiously underneath!”
No such organisation all those years ago when we tied the knot, everything went smoothly even when a waitress with a tray of pavlova banged into the three teir wedding cake and it collapsed. Thankfully the groom caught the top teir and the best man the second and despite the old adage that if a wedding cake collapses so will the marriage. Fortunately we are still together today!
When There’s A Will
A will is vitally important but so often making a decision to sit down and put pen to paper is put on the long finger. Now help is at hand as Age NI is offering supporters a free service. By registering with Bequeathed you will get good advice and action. Find out more about this offer at AgeNI.org.uk
I was sad to read of two friends who died recently, the charming John Bennett who was admired by all who knew him. As a broadcaster he was one of the ‘old’ school, he commanded the audience with his knowledge, his wit and his wisdom. He did his research and went into the studio in charge of his subject whether it was sports, current affairs or most of all, music. Few could hold the audience for 40 years but with the Sunday Club John did with ease and interest. He was a teacher before joining the BBC and having left primary school classes he remained a teacher when it came to broadcasting, we all learned from him.
I was also sorry to read of the death of Alan Moneypenny. His sporting and charity work was notable and I knew him when he was director of Antrim Forum for 17 years and we’d often meet up for lunch when I was working in that part of the world. In those days he was enjoying life to the full and we had great conversations about all sorts of things.
Sincere sympathies to both families and friends. They were gentlemen.