A Bit Of A Scare

On the Thursday before the wedding we had a rehearsal in church. I think the vicar was a bit overwhelmed when we turned up, five Swedes and about ten Englishmen!

We said hello to the vicar, and she asked us for the wedding permit that she had asked us to bring. The only problem was neither me nor James could recall her asking us for it, so we just looked stupidly at each other.

- We don't have it.

She then looked slightly worried and asked us if we had applied for one. We quickly explained that we did have the permit at home, and she said "that's good, otherwise we would have had to do a fake ceremony!".
My god, imagine that! Getting "married" in front of everyone, but walk away not actually being married at all, my worst nightmare! We decided that as the Friday was a bank holiday we would drop it off in her letterbox in her office and she would pick it up on the Saturday.

In the evening, Kristina, Kevin and the girls rode back home with me whilst Sandra, Geoff, Barry and Hannah stayed on for a bit with James, decorating the marquee.

Kevin and Kristina put the girls to bed, and I went straight into our office to get the paperwork, as I knew exactly where I had put it. It was not there. It was not there!! What?

I made my self breathe sloooowly, and started looking through all the bit of paper in our office. Kevin and Kristina came upstairs and started to help me look. I remember Kevin kept repeating "don't panic, we will find it, don't panic" as I was trying to take his advice.

- Why don't you call James, Kristina said.
- I will, I said, but I am putting it off as I am so worried he won't know where it is!

After we had looked through everything in the office I had to give up and call James. Trying not to sound panicked I asked if he knew where the permit was.

- I have no idea, he said. I don't think I have ever seen it.

Right. Don't panic, we wouldn't have thrown it away now would we. And even if we had, we would still have a wedding and then sort the legal bits out afterwards, it is ok (not it's not, no it's not, no it's not!!!!!).

As I was desperately sorting through some papers in the front room, Kristina calls me.

- Is this it?

I walked over there slowly, looked at the paper for about 2 minutes before giving her a massive, shaky, hug.

- Oh my god, oh my god, thank you thank you thank you!

How Kristina was able to find a permit, in Swedish, among out receipts (!) I don't know! But I am so grateful!


I got my man!