Wedding Down Under

Yesterday Dave's best friend was married in a civil service at the courthouse, and Dave and I were asked to be the witnesses.

Dave's friend is a very gregarious, out-going fellow, and so what was supposed to be a small, select group of friends soon ballooned out to 80 or more guests, who all pressed into a small court-room to watch the service. The highlight of the ceremony came when the groom, carried away with the romance of the moment, swore to be her slave for life. I hope she holds him to that one!

After the wedding, everyone walked a block to the North Queensland Club. Drinks and some light refreshments followed, and Dave was called upon to deliver the best-man's toast. I did enjoy hearing the line "Please be upstanding for a toast to the bride and groom".

After the toast, the newly married couple cut the wedding cake. Unlike in the U.S., where the wedding cake is a fluffy mass of moist cake and frosting, this cake was made of fruitcake and was covered in a hard, smooth icing, like an ice-skating rink. It really brought to mind where the term "icing" came from. While the bride and groom cut the cake, the guests started singing

For they are jolly good fellows,
For they are jolly good fellows,
For they are jolly good fellows,
And so say all of us.

Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray! Hip, Hip Hooray!

Much nicer than the usual smooshing of cake into each others faces at an American wedding.