1 All Saints’ Church, Pitsford, 24 June 2023 A Pitsford Wedding
2 For our wedding service on 24 June 2023, we chose the centuries-old All Saints’ Church, here in Pitsford. Our Rector, Stephen Trott, took the service and he made it all run very smoothly, helped somewhat by a practice dry-run two evenings before. The day itself was dry and fine. We had planned for a worst-case scenario of cold and wet, but the weather was perfect, even extending to the evening, when we cut the cake and relaxed to a BBQ in the garden, while dancing in the two marquees set up there. For most of the photographs, we thank Mat Irvine and Paul Stokes. The church bells were rung before the service (above) by this six-strong Pitsford group.
3 1: Wait for the Bride 4 2: The Service 10 3: Champagne! 16 4: The Pavilion 26 5: The Evening 28 6: The Guests 32 Chris and nine-month old Toby Washington (above) talking with David before the service.
4 While Julie was helped to get ready by Danuta, David and Tony (the Best Man) strolled down High Street to the church. As they approached, the sounds of the Harborough Singers drifted through the air, their rehearsal acting as a welcome greeting. Inside the church, early arrivals were already being shown in by Chris and Matthew. Then David and Tony chatted with anyone who wished to talk, including (right) Tim Blades of the choir. 1: Wait for the Bride
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6 Guests included (left) Trisha Wells, Gill Print, Kevin Hall. (Opposite) Lisa Smith and Becky Sharp, and the smartly attired William Bal-Sharp.
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8 (From left) Gavin and Sara Page, and Sue Allan, wife of Tony, the Best Man. (Below left) Alun Lloyd and Clare Hart, talking with our Rector, Stephen Trott. (Right) David’s cousins Cynthia Harper and Philippa Ratke, his niece Jane Jefferis, and her husband Robin Andrews.
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10 David had already passed the wedding rings to Tony, held safely in their white pouches. Now we waited for the bride to appear. Stephen Trott paced quietly near the porch, while background music was played by Andrew King. Meanwhile, the Harborough Singers waited to start their entry piece, Exultate Justi, as selected by Julie. Then the right moment arrived, and the congregation were treated to the sight of the smiling bride, accompanied on either side by Chris and Matt. 2: The Service William Bal-Sharp (above) found a moment to inspect the church ceiling, though the rest of the congregation kept their eyes on mother and sons (right) walking down the aisle!
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14 The marriage service was over, now it was time for the paperwork. Our two witnesses (right) were Sue Brown and Danuta Sharp.
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16 3: Champagne! Now a married couple, Julie and David made for the champagne served from the church kitchen, sipping their first glass of the day as they passed through All Saints’ North Door (right). The fine weather was a major blessing, as everyone – bride and groom, guests, choir (opposite) – could enjoy a glass of fizz and the summer sun together in All Saints’ beautifully maintained rural churchyard.
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22 4: The Pavilion For the wedding luncheon, Julie and David chose The Pavilion, in Pitsford’s nearby recreation ground. Setup had been mostly completed the previous day, with final touches (including 100-odd helium balloons) completed by Project Managers Chelsey, Russ, and their helpers. We settled on individual Bento boxes for the food, topped with splendid pink bows (right), which cunningly self-assembled, just by carefully pulling a hidden tape!
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26 William looks on (above). At nine months, Toby was the youngest guest.
27 Philippa and David (above); Julie talks to fellow choristers Ann and Pamela.
28 5: The Evening Our garden was filled with two large marquees, though they left just enough room for the fish to swim in their pool, apparently undisturbed. Chris and Matt managed the BBQ with aplomb, and also attended to the sound system in the main marquee. This functioned splendidly throughout the evening. There was even some enthusiastic dancing, while bride and groom relaxed in their post-wedding outfits to cut the three-tier cake (right).
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31 Sisters (from left): Sally, Julia, Stephanie. Their cousin Jane, and Aunt Philippa.
32 Julie and David Jefferis welcomed: Sue and Tony Allan Leanne and Tom Askinson Linda and Malcom Baker Pamela and Mike Bordiss Sue and Ray Brown Julia and Barry Budd Stephanie Busby Charlotte Costello Clare Hart and Alun Lloyd Cynthia Harper Sally Hitchcock Georgie and Mat Irvine Jane Jefferis and Robin Andrews Ann and Bill Gregory Vicki and Frank Kelly Yoka and Julian Morgan 6: The Guests Sara and Gavin Page Gill Print and Kevin Hall Philippa Ratke Becky Sharp, Lisa Smith, and William Bal-Sharp Julian and Nicola Sharp Chris Shaw Matt Shaw Danuta and John Sharp Bonnie Steel Ruth and Paul Stokes Holly and Chris, James and Toby Washington Trisha Wells Shirley and Neil Wilson Ann and Cliff Wybrow And… Daisy the dog And our thanks to the bell ringers of All Saints’ church: Hilary Aslett Jenny Ball Keith Isaacs Debbie and Colin Sampson Walter Thompson