Our First Hornby Wedding

In July, one is almost guaranteed nice weather, although last weekend didn't play according to the rules. Our friends Peter and Judith got married. They had planned to arrive at the 'altar' on their bikes at the beach, but wet and windy was the order of the day. So instead of a ceremony at Sandpiper beach they held it in their back yard under the tents.

What a great time it was, though. Rachelle and I went over to their place mid morning to help out and were super busy all day. Rachelle and Elaine collaborated on final touches for thirty flower arrangements for tables and tent corners, and I was the house handyman all day, erecting tarps, building a grate out of rebar for the roast pig, helping the electrician run cables for the bands, etc.

Did I mention the roast pig? They bought a 150 lb pig from town, Bob dressed the animal and stuffed it with his own stuffing, brought over his roaster and cooked it all day in this crazy contraption made from an old oil drum.

Around 8PM, the marimba band fired up and got people moving in the rain. As nighttime fell a great local rock and roll band took the stage and carried on until midnight or so.

Pot luck weddings are a Hornby tradition. There were probably 200 people there and in addition to the pig, there was a huge amount of home cooked food, a freezer full of beer, and a tonne of wine. There was a temporary kitchen set up that included a gas cook stove and multiple fridges and freezers, all borrowed from islanders. Judith and Peter are feeding an average of 30 friends and family a day over the course of a week after the wedding. We went for breakfast there this morning and it was a pancake extravaganza.

It was an excellent wedding and community event. We met loads of new friends and made stronger connections with people that we had already met.