Monday morning at 8.30am, text from Chloe:- “Good morning, Chris. Thank you so much for an incredible weekend!”. That says it all!

Glorious weather on Saturday for a marquee wedding. Chloe’s Team had everything totally under control – most impressive. Chloe showed no signs of stress, just wafted about, looking serene, whilst her (and Anthony’s, of course) day unfolded. So many lovely people, all with a task, and ‘sorting it’. Candles in jars hanging from the trees looked amazing.

Coq au vin for 110 as the main course, (aubergine galette for the vegetarians) just one choice of canape, asparagus and smoked salmon with a balsamic dressing (A&C’s idea) as the starter all worked really well.

They had a huge barbeque by the marquee on Sunday afternoon, which was all superbly cleared up by the Anthony Team. The only item not cleared up was some tomatoes. Karla and Jeffrey, the Labrador Team in charge of clearing up any food, kept appearing carrying a whole undamaged tomato in their mouths. Was it food? They weren’t sure. Was it perhaps a ball? Probably not.

It is easy to forget that weddings are about people. My abiding memories of last weekend is of so many lovely people, who clearly loved being able to share Belmount. Chloe’s dad, Steve, whose speech was open verse (I think!) inspired me, as a history ignoramus, to investigate French history. Clem and I could have spent all Sunday swapping sailing stories, but he had to prepare the barbeque. Steve and Caroline persuaded me to make them bacon butties at 3.30am on Sunday. Somehow this involved putting the world to rights. A huge quantity of drink was moved into my chill room and out again by the Team.

It was all superbly organised by lots of lovely, happy, people, who clearly felt very much at home at Belmount. We and Belmount loved it.