Warehouse wedding

Sometimes I find attendance at a straight wedding - sadly the only type I have experienced - to be a chore rather than a pleasure but yesterday's wedding went very well. A short, friendly mid afternoon service followed by a laid back evening reception at a harbour front venue.

Ae and I were placed with four straight couples, two of whom I have known for about forty years and whose company I enjoy.

I was invited as a friend of the bride's parents and had not seen the bride since she was a child and had never met the groom. The bride looked gorgeous, relaxed and very happy and is clearly a real catch for the groom. He seems a pleasant man and impressed with a heartfelt and warming speech and so seems a decent man. None of the groom, best man and three groomsmen registered on my 'handsome meter', a little surprising that there wasn't at least one looker amongst them.

The MC for the reception, the groom's newly acquired brother in law was easily the stunner of the night. Very tall, dark haired, sexy and a delightful personality won me over. Sadly, as the husband of one of the bride's attendants he is already taken and obviously not in the gay market.

The reception was held at Simmer on the Bay. The website indicates that the venue has varied guises and is dressed up in many styles but for last night's wedding it was in its basic warehouse style with the walls bare as seen above.

It is the first wedding reception I have attended where the guests were seated only for one course, the main course which comprised either Barramundi or a Beef Steak. I was served the latter which was delicious. Ae said that the Barramundi was tasty but the accompanying sauce was a little rich.

Hors d'oeuvres were served cocktails style. Nothing unusual about that but this was my first experience of 'Roaming Desserts'. A selection of three desserts were served, also cocktails style. One, a mango concoction was less successful, breaking up in the hand as you tried to pick up a small piece from the passing trays. A chocolate mousse and berries mix served in small glass was far easier to manage and easily my pick of the desserts.

Most of the reception was spent on our feet, chatting with the guests and, yes, occasionally dancing. I don't dance much nowadays and last night's band was pretty noisy and tuneless for my aging tastes but I couldn't have an enjoyable night pass without letting my inner Fred Astaire shine through.

The night ended for us at 11.45pm only because the parking station where I had parked the car was closing at midnight.