Our wedding invitations and buttonholes photo credit: James Dorrington |
We were so pleased that a group of friends who we had met through our blog were over from the UK on holiday, and it was brilliant that they managed an incredibly early start to get themselves from Oludeniz to Uzumlu for 8.30 in the morning to join us at the breakfast. It was great to meet them and their Turkish friend who drove them here and we look forward to meeting them all again when they return to Turkey later this year.
In spite of a rather dubious weather forecast we were able to enjoy our breakfast outside in the sunshine and it was a great start to the day.
Enjoying the wedding breakfast with family and friends in the sunshine at Eddy's Place in Uzumlu photo credit: James Dorrington |
The ever patient David being given his list of things to do! photo credit: James Dorrington |
I had visited the hairdressers some weeks beforehand, taking with me my wedding day hair adornments and with the help of a Turkish friend as translator had painstakingly explained how I wanted my hair to be and had made a booking for that morning. So it was more than a little shocking when we arrived that the hairdresser was nowhere to be seen, and the staff that were there seemed to be more than surprised to see us and spoke no English. We eventually pointed at their bookings diary and I opened it at the right date and triumphantly pointed at a 3 hour booking in my name. It didn't however, do me any good as for some reason the hairdresser was not there and had no intention of being there that day. After much arm waving and pointing we established that the first step was for us both to have a manicure and pedicure and this was started straight away.
I think it would be fair to say that Turkish people in general have absolutely no sense of urgency and words can't describe my frustration with so much left to do to be stuck in a chair unable to explain that they needed to step it up a notch. 11.00 am passed, midday passed, 1.00 pm passed and still we had not got beyond feet and hands, even though we had expected to be back in Uzumlu by then checking the venue was OK. With wet hair and nails, I went outside and smoked three cigarettes while I tried to call a friend to get them to print off the table plans that I had typed up at 6.00 am that morning. When I got no reply I felt utterly helpless and alternated between hot and cold sweats and total panic. By the time I had finished my third cigarette I thought there is nothing I can do about it so I will have to calm down - would it really be so terrible if people sit where they like at the wedding?
Finally make up was on and our hair was started. Obviously we couldn't explain what we wanted so we just went with the flow, and finally we left the hairdressers at 2.20 still in our slobby attire with a 25 minute drive home and the wedding vows due to take place at 3.00. So instead of being able to go to check the restaurant, we sailed past it on the way home to change and watched everyone already there waiting for the bride to arrive!
In the UK it is of course quite normal for the bride to be late. In Turkey with the council official booked to carry out the ceremony together with a translator it is not quite so acceptable, and I heard afterwards that they were saying we can't wait much longer we have to go on to a meeting! We have never changed so fast in our lives and feeling rushed and hassled we set of to the Camlik restaurant almost half an hour late.
Finally leaving home for the wedding photo credit: James Dorrington |
The band start drumming heralding the arrival of the bride photo credit: James Dorrington |
Next post - Our Turkish wedding
No comments:
Post a comment