I Do, Most Definitely
"SI. LO FACIO". That's what we said on the
Campidoglio overlooking Rome's ancient Forum. Had the ceremony
been in English, this would've come out as "Yes. I do".
Laetitia's Italian was loads better than mine, mostly because she'd been
living in Italy for more than a year, having gone over in early '91 just
after we'd got back together following a year, erm, apart. This
ceremony was followed by a reception at a villa in Prima Porta, a
considerably rural part of greater Rome. Honeyed rabbit, champagne, etc.
Quite superb. Brilliant day, and it was all made better by the fact that
she'd made me regrow my shaven head for the wedding. One makes these
sacrifices, I suppose, and it was definitely worth it. She wore a genuine
1920s silk wedding dress. Wow. |
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| (Brief recap: we had broken up in early 1990 but
had stayed on in Grahamstown - I was still studying and L.was working at a
local library but she'd made plans to leave for a year or two in Europe.
This was the year that featured my winning the 'Top Student DJ In The
Country' competition and ended with me shifting to Johannesburg to chase
up a job offer on the country's biggest national radio station. Just
before Xmas, still in Jo'burg, I regained my senses and opted instead to
rejoin Laetitia in Grahamstown for a few weeks before she hit the high
road. We'd made up, but she still left for Italy - the fact that we'd got
back together again was not going to change her plans. I registered for
another year at Varsity and stuck around at Rhodes until the end of 1991
when I left to head the ELFM broadcast project in East London. It was in
the last few weeks of '91 that we decided long-distance to make the
necessary arrangements to 'do the right thing' in Rome. Trouble is -her
parents had no idea that we'd actually got back together again, but this
bridge would be crossed when we came to it). |
Location, location, location...
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| WHEN IN ROME...This is the 500 year-old Campidoglio
on one of the hills of Rome. It's where all Romans get legally married,
so we had to follow suit. The paperwork was a formidable obstacle but we
got there in the end. The square itself is packed with Michelangelo
statuary and all kinds of marbled splendiferousness - really quite
something. Our ceremony was exceedingly plush and took place in the
building on the left of this square. (Brief note: Romans who want a
divorce use the building on the right - that's where marriages are
formally trashed. Long journey, short walk. Convenient if you're Joan
Collins, eh)? |
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| INTERIORS. The inside of the hall was really sumptious, and there was
plenty of space for our group of local friends. The disadvantage of
getting married so far from home is that very few people can travel so far
for the ceremony, but you have to admit that it DOES save on the champagne
bill at the reception. |
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| NO! I SAID "STAND ON THE PIAZZA!" There were about
eleven people with us on the day (excluding the horde of officials) and
Laetitia's Mom came over with good friend Joyce, but my family couldn't
make it due to the simple fact that seven airtickets can be a tad costly.
Saved us a lot on the fermented grape juice bill for the reception,
though. Here we are outside in the piazza after the ceremony. It's a
virtually identical shot to the ones you'll see in Eddie Vedder (of PEARL
JAM)'s wedding album,'cause he got married in exactly the same place a
year or two later. Copycat. I'm still not returning his calls... |
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Married travel...
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HONEYMOONERS. We'd spent a few weeks in Turkey just before
the wedding, then proceeded to irritate a wider swathe of European
citizenry as we honeymooned in Venice and Florence and then left Italy to
end up in St. Moritz and Lucerne in Switzerland. This was rather a
nice break and allowed us to do lots of mountainous things, like throw
clods of Swiss earth at Swiss cows, and generally behave like louts. We
had LUFFLY weather and it made me a tad sorry that I'd given in to
Laetitia's demands that I grow my hair specially for the wedding. Mind
you, she DID have a point. Skinheads and champagne don't mix. Then it was
back on a plane and off to rejoin the 9-5 set in S.A. |
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