Who: Aileas, Dean, Shay, and Nora. And guests What: Thomas-Finnegan wedding When: 15 April, 2014 Where: The Britannia, Diagon Alley Status: Quick Logs
The Location
The towering white façade of the Britannia was well lit in the partially sunny sun of the spring day. While it was business as usual for most of the hotel, the grand ballroom and two honeymoon suites were taken over by a dual wedding between best mates. One room found the lads pacing about, bickering, and yelling at each other as they got dressed with a harried looking photographer not sure whether or not to laugh. In the ladies’ room, the mood was at least more manageable but no less tense out of nerves.
Down in the ballroom was a mixed setup. The first was the reception room behind a false wall of blue and soft gold patterns. The stage was slightly raised and white with blue trim on it. No arch, but there was a simple alter in homage to Seamus’ Catholic upbringing, though it was not a religious ceremony. The small platform was flanked by two tall poles with fairy lighting and glass ribbons to cast a warm glow on the couples. The room was still arranged by brides and grooms, though in more of a hodgepodge than neatly done.
Beyond the false walls, which would fade away after pictures but could be walked through by patrons to get to the alcohol free “cocktail” hour, was the reception hall. The carpet of deep reds and golds were offset by the white and gold walls and domed ceiling, which had floating, blue-purple lighting from above with some amber tones to brighten the room. Circular tables are arranged with white table clothes, deep blue and maroon settings, and gold center pieces with either main color and white adorn them. The chairs are black-backed with white seats. At the center sat the head table with Dean and Seamus’ spots in the middle and Aileas and Nora’s spots on either side. It is a simple set up with little fanfare, flowers, or massive structures. Their cakes, which would take their place on the wedding platform for cutting are dark blue and gold for Aileas and Dean and dark red white for Nora and Seamus.
The Grooms
Dean and Seamus prepare with their parties in the first of the two honeymoon suites they rented out on different floors. Both men share Neville Longbottom as their best man. Dean's party consists of Blaise Zabini and Ron Weasley. Seamus' party consists of Grant and Ferguson Montague
The Brides
Aileas and Nora prepared with their parties in the second of the honeymoon suites rented put by the couples. Aileas' party consisted of Alicia Spinnet, Astoria Greengrass, and Jaden Thomas acting a the dual Maid of Honor. Nora's party consisted of Ginny Weasley and Melinda Bobbin.
The Ceremony
Georgiana and Ray acting as flower girl and ring bearer started off the procession. Georgie, looking solemnly determined to do well and Ray like he was solely driven by the need to make his Uncles proud. They hurried over to Erica as their gob was finished. Dean and Shay stood in the center with Neville standing by them partially for tradition and partially for moral support until it was time to go. The first pair was Neville and Jaden, followed by Astoria and Blaise. Next was Melinda and Grant, followed by Alicia and Ron, then Fergus and Ginny. When the brides made their way to the alter, Neville stepped back from where he stood with the grooms again to be with the other groomsmen and the brides took their place beside their husbands.
Dean started with, ” For the longest time I didn't think that anyone would ever mean more to me than my best mate. We'd been through so much and it was hard to think that someone would come along and rival that. And then there you were, all strong, brave, beautiful, and looking like you'd kill me with one blow. I didn't know then how quickly I'd fall or how long this would last. My thoughts of family were small and limited to a handful...but I fell hard and I never want to recover from the push. I want this to last until the end of time. I want our family to keep growing and getting stronger every day. I want to be your shelter, your home, your safe place where we can grow, laugh, make mistakes and thrive not in spite of them, but because of them. You and our daughter are my world, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for either one of you. I love you and I like you. And I vow to be everything I be to you and more.” Aileas, after composing herself, spoke next and said when everyone else saw who she wasn't, Dean saw who she was. And even though for a long time their happy ending felt impossible because everything felt hopeless, it was the one thing that gave her hope. Getting him, and a beautiful daughter, seems like an actual dream. She promises to be as good as she can be for both of them. When she stumbles, and she will do that, she promises to learn. And love, and grow. Because this life she has now is a second chance and she's not the wasteful type.
Nora spoke about how she never thought she'd be spending the rest of her life with a pale angry Irish boy, how she promises to save him every day, just like he saves her and continues to save her, and how she can’t wait to teach their little Finnegans how to properly throw shot glasses at their father’s head.. Seamus’ words focused on healing, recovery, strength, and devotion. He finished his up with a portion from one of his favorite songs spoken out: With so little to be sure of, if there’s anything at all. If there’s anything at all I’m sure of: here and now and us together. All I’ll ever be, I’ll owe you. If there’s anything to be. Being sure enough of you makes me sure enough of me. Thanks for everything.
With the vows spoken and the I Do’s done, the pairs kissed to the cheers and whistles of their friends. The pastor announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. The pairs headed down the aisle together, followed by their parties. The guests were dismissed to walk through the fake wall while the parties took pictures together. Of this group included Dean’s parents and sister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Erica, Ray, and George, Seamus’ paternal grandmother, and Grant’s parents.
The Reception
The “cocktail” hour was a dry bar, as there are recovering alcoholics in attendance as well as getting married that day. It did, however, have a wide array of nonalcoholic options, ciders, and sodas. When the pictures were finished, the pairs made their way through the main room finally followed by the new brides and grooms. The grooms sat in the middle, where they both found unbaked potatoes sitting at their setting, which got barks of laughter from then as had independently made the same joke as a surprise. The parties sat off to the side at a table with the family table on the other side of the head table. As the world was small, there was no true order to the tables. Before eating, Neville delivered both speeches for the grooms, followed by Alicia giving Aileas’ speech and Mel giving Nora;s. After dinner, they cut their respective cakes and helped serve until Seamus’ Nan shooed them away to take over.
After that, the first dance started silently to the confusion of the other three until Shay’s voice was made louder while she sang their song. After that, Aileas danced with her father during which Jade pulls Nora up because she feels bad Nora doesn't have her father for the dance. Then Dean danced with his mother and Shay with his grandmother. Dean then asked for a special dance between he and Jade had their father-daughter dance. With the important moments out of the way, the reception ran from 5pm until 9pm, when the couple were sent out of the grand entrance and the doors to their private portkeys that brought them back up to their respective honeymoon suites.
Favors for the wedding were passed out as guests left and a log book was laid out so they could send out mildly tasteful (and sometimes distasteful) thank-you cards for all their guests two weeks later.