Today saw the marriage of team Call Out list member Paul Ephraim Brain to Maggie Louise Hall Allred, at a service attended by team colleagues alongside a very large number of friends, work associates and their delighted family members.
With a great many guests assembling on Friday in Masham, the Yorkshire Dales, the day started with all meeting at the wonderful rural Church of St Cuthbert and St Oswald, at Winksley.
Despite all predictions, Maggie arrived totally on time for her 1pm wedding service, indeed she arrived early !
Maggie arrived in our Land Rover radio call sign Bolton Mobile 2, suitably adorned for its role in the days proceedings, and driven by our Team Treasurer Martin Banks.
BM2 all made up, ready to take the Bride to church… on time!
Paul looked splendid in his Highland dress kilt as did his best man and close friend Elaine Gilliland (Best man – woman)
Maggie looked stunning in her white dress and veil, walking up the aisle to a beaming Paul.
The wedding service had a great touch of humour from the lady Vicar, Reverand Caroline Falkingham, and to a packed church, Paul and Maggies vows were exchanged.
Some thoughtful readings, rousing hymns, kind prayers and some wonderful singing and lute playing from Helen Atkinson made for a memorable wedding service.
An archway of Ice Axes wielded by current and former Bolton MRT team members (and Dani from NEWSAR and Paul’s university climbing club) greeted Paul and Maggie as they stepped out of church in to the sunlight, followed by many photographs (And yes the Vikings were there !)
Champagne at the ready for the trip back to Masham as Husband & Wife
It was then off for the newly weds in Our Land Rover BM2, replete with a bucket of champagne in the back, to canapes and the commencement of wedding festivities at Hilltop Farm, Ilton.
Here guests were met by a wonderful buffet, as much wedding champagne as one could drink (Yes most got quite tipsy very quickly) and then went into the main venue at the farm, for the Wedding Breakfast (Feast would be a more accurate description) which commenced at 5pm.
Here fantastic food and an endless supply of table wine in a wonderfully specially decorated atmosphere (Tea Pots a plenty !) formed the backdrop to some great speeches from proud fathers, the Best (man) woman Elaine, and Paul.
All were regaled by Paul with a humorous powerpoint ! presentation about how he and Maggie met, their likes and their differences !
Not to be outdone, and breaking somewhat from tradition, Maggie then had her say, with an equally humorous presentation about Paul, and then to most guests surprise, she demonstrated to all her beautiful singing voice.
Music and a fine Master of Ceremonies started (or rather carried on ) the entertainment, with the first dance to Brighton based band House of Hats playing their song “Right Behind you”, then followed with the night being danced away to the music of Blackbeards Tea Party Celidh band (Quite a ‘funky’ take on traditional Celidh music)
More food then came with hot snacks late at night, more dancing and more music and merriment.
All in a wonderful day, for Maggie and Paul, and for all their guests.
The entire team membership wishes Paul and Maggie a very long, happy, healthy and prosperous marriage together.
The following team members and past team members were present today ; Elaine Gilliland, her mother and former Bolton MRT Support Group member Teresa Gilliland, Steve Nelson, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and his partner of 22 years, Ann (a former Bolton MRT member) Mike Marsh, Steve Fletcher, Naomi Horan, Martin Banks and his wife Stella and daughter Felicity, Doctor Clare Whitney (Former Bolton MRT member and team Doctor) and her husband Peter (former Team Support Group member) ex Bolton MRT team member John Fletcher and his partner Dani Burgess both of NEWSART, Mark Scott and his wife Megan…. and of course team member and groom Paul Brain !
Paul and Maggie are now off to ‘somewhere’ in Southern Scotland for their honeymoon, actual location not divulged – as if we would do anything !
