Wedding Plans - update

It's a week today since Alan and I finally tied the knot. I've just about recovered from all the hullabaloo and thought you might like me to submit the final episode.

We had a little scare a couple of days before the wedding: we were summoned by the Judge to the Ayuntamiento and unfortunately we couldn't find out interpreter so we braved it alone. We had had to provide him with a schedule of events (who was speaking etc) and I had translated this into Spanish and handed it in to the Ayuntamiento a few days before our summons. It turns out that the Judge thought we wanted to change the time of the wedding as instead of putting 18.30, I had put 6.30 and he was asking if we seriously wanted to get up that early!

We spent a couple of days before running backwards and forwards to Alicante and Murcia airports, collecting people and cars (my son missed his flight and instead of flying into Alicante, flew to Murcia. His hire car was in Alicante so Mum went to Alicante and drove it to Murcia just in time for his family's arrival). I'm sure we'll be accused of running an illegal taxi service.

On the day of the wedding I still hadn't decided which of the two dresses I had bought I would wear. The decision was made that one clashed with my daughter's dress.

We were escorted to the Ayuntamiento by a beautifully kilted Scot which made it very special.

When we got to the Town Square however, all the guests, groom and best man were all at the open air bar. They all made a hasty dash in to the Ayuntamiento when they saw the car though.

My daughter, bridesmaid granddaughter and I made a grand entrance to 'Here Come the Girls' and I was stunned to see so many people in the room.

Cesar, our long-suffering friend and interpreter had been roped in to sit next to the Judge to interpret the service. He was definitely not prepared for this and looked a little bemused. The Judge started the ceremony, spoke for about two minutes and Cesar's interpretation of that was 'welcome'. Everyone roared with laughter and that set the scene for most of the ceremony.

We signed the register to 'Another One Bites the Dust' and got chastised by the Judge for kissing too soon.

All our guests filed out and we came out last and the Judge had organised a peal of bells from the local church (lovely touch).

We wended our way back to the roof party (after having a quick one at the Town Square bar) and the party began.

The hogroast was going strong when we arrived. The music was just setting up and the alcohol started to flow.

We had one minor glytch when the local police came because someone had made a complaint. I didn't know we had to have a licence for an open-air party! Anyway, then went away after we promised that we would turn it down a little and finish at midnight.

We had a wonderful day; so may friends turned up and danced the night away. We've got loads of lovely memories (as long as the memory lasts at our age of course).

We're still waiting for our marriage certificate though!

End of story

Well, I am delighted to say that all the paperwork came back from the courts with a big approved stamp on them, so the wedding will definitely be taking place.

The time of the wedding was negotiated from 7-8pm to 6.30. The Judge is having lunch with his aunt you see - and why not?

We've got the hog roast sorted, the live duo and we collect the rings possibly tomorrow (see we've adopted 'manana' already). Only thing left to do is get something to wear.

Irene

Well, on Monday when the UPS office opened I called them to check where our parcel was... they hadn't colleced it for some technical reason.

PANIC SETS IN

I then call the Legalisation Office in the UK and they then told me that the documents had actually been sent back to Alicante on Thursday and so even if UPS had managed to go there, there were no documents!!!!!!

I then called the Consulate and they said they THOUGHT they had them all, but weren't sure and they would call me back. Time was ticking away and it was now almost 1pm. The Consulate called to say, good news, they had all the documents and we could come and collect them. The problem is that it would take more than 30 minutes to get there and they close to the public at 1.30. They said that the would re-open just for us (bloody-well think so as they'd screwed up), and I politely showed my gratitude.

Off we dash. They were true to their word and re-opened just for us. We knew we still needed one more document - proof of where we had lived for the last two years. Well, of course, the Consulate can do this, while we wait, provided we may almost 300 euros. We bit the bullet and coughed up, collected the documents and went home. Opened the wine and beer and collapsed.

We then had to organise our translator and two witnesses to come to Formentera with us on Tuesday, so we went to our local bar and confirmed with our two friends (one owns the bar and the other is a waitress) that they would be ready to come with us for 1pm the next day.

I don't know why, but I decided that I'd go down to the Ayuntamiento this morning around half past ten, just to check that the person who would receive the documents was going to be there. He ALWAYS works from 1pm to 3pm ... except today when he was working from 9.30 until noon. I did a lightening dash back home, grabbed the other half and the paperwork, then off to the bar to collect our witnesses. We got there at 11.00am only to find he'd gone.

Luckily our Spanish witnesses, being local, did some fast-talking and got someone else to check and accept the documentation.

We are now waiting for the Judge to approve it, but I really do believe we are oh so close to completing the paperwork.

So, to recap, all the documentation so far has cost us just over 1000 euros. Yes, we could have got married in Gib or the UK for a lot less, but our hearts are set on marrying in the village we've chosen as our home for the rest of our lives... and the other half says I'm not romantic - what on earth do I have to do to prove it?

Well it will be no surprise to most of you that the Brits are just as beaurocratic as the rest. The paperwork promised in 21 days in now a week overdue.

On Friday I called the Consulate in Alicante (again) and they said that the delay was due to Easter - that means two days public holiday puts everything behind by 5 days. I asked if I could do anything to chase up this stuff and they gave me a number in the UK which I called - the Legalisation Office. They said they had nothing under our names, but that the documents could have been filed under the name of the person who signed the letter at Alicante Consulate. So, back to the Consulate... I called and explained what they had said in the UK and she promised to check and get back to me. This was 10.00am on Friday morning. By midday I was sweating because I know the Consulate shuts at 1.30 and I'd be stewing the whole weekend if I didn't get an explanation.

At 12.15 I got a call back to say that the documents were in the UK; they had been translated and were being posted that day and with luck should be in Alicante by... Wednesday. That was when I freaked out because we plan to return to the UK for a month ... you guessed it ... on Wednesday morning.

Just a quick recap - before we go back to the UK we've got to collect the documents from Alicante, take them back to Formentera (hopefully they won't find anything wrong with them) and then they go off to the local courts for approval. This process doesn't sound too bad, but for the Formentera Ayuntamiento visit we need our translator (I have some Spanish, but it's not good enough to follow a rapid discussion) and two witnesses and these three people need to be notified they day before they are needed.

Back to the Alicante Consulate bit...

I asked them if the documents could be couriered. They said I'd have to call the Legalisaton Office to find out, which I did. They said I could do this but I'd have to arrange it. By this time it was 1pm. So I hit the web and made some calls. UPS could do it for Monday midday delivery, so I paid my money and I've now got my fingers crossed that they'll live up to their promises.

So, today (Monday) we'll be tracking our parcel and hopefully dashing off to Alicante to collect these documents.

I have a feeling of impending doom and I'm now thinking I'll have to send my OH back to the UK on his own and I'll have to stay here to cut through the red tape.

So I'm sharing this with you at the crack of dawn because, surprise, surprise, I can't sleep.