2006 - Jenna's Wedding

Jenna wanted to get married. Luckily, her fiancé did, too! But she had no money... So I gave her a budget and told her to get on with it. Her mother contributed a little, too, as did her fiancé's family.

Jenna lives near me, but all of her mother's side of her family and her fiancé's family live in Ireland...and most of them refused to come to England for her wedding. So Jenna and Colin (her fiancé) decided to have their wedding in Ireland. This was an additional expense for me and her siblings, all of whom live near me; but we all went to her wedding anyway. She's worth it!

On top of this, Jenna's mother and her family didn't like Colin (still don't!) and there was the real possibility of trouble at the wedding.

Joseph & Orla dressed up for Jenna's Wedding

Marie, who had been to Ireland twice, couldn't face going this time AND was so anxious about the whole affair that she didn't want me to go either. Sometimes I have to be firm and do the right thing, even if it causes Marie anxiety. So I put up with her bad mood and tantrums right up to the day I was leaving. Marie had to go to her parents' house while I was away. The children went with me.

Jenna & Colin (right) tie the knot

Since Marie wasn't accompanying me, we were able to fly to Ireland and hire a car, thus saving a couple of days' travel. I took the kids to visit my last surviving Aunt, pleasing her a great deal. We had booked into a really great hotel where the children were made to feel welcome. The staff couldn't have been nicer. Marie and I kept in constant touch with each other by mobile phone (creating a HUGE bill!) and she seemed to be coping with life without me in the same building quite well.

In the event, all passed off well. There was no trouble, although not everybody mixed with everybody else, and some guests couldn't even manage a smile during the entire proceedings! Funny thing about the Irish - they're the friendliest people on the planet...EXCEPT TO EACH OTHER