Jonola14

MR AND MRS GINN

Oh

My

God.

I thought the stag-do was a bit of a session (here are the photos) but nothing, NOTHING compares to the liver-crunching alcohol-fest that still hinders most of my bodily functions almost 48 hours later.

Two years ago, Matthew ‘the Chimp’ Ginn took the plunge and asked long-time girlfriend Sarah to marry him. Saturday was their wedding day and a trip to our old university town of Cardiff beckoned.

“Ah, the memories” Payno muttered, as we cruised into the Welsh capital, gazing at the old university buildings, the dirty streets where we used to kick a ball around and, of course, the student’s union. But we were not there to take advantage of cheap beer, or to relive debauched evenings in the Union’s adjoining ‘Taf’ bar, we were there to celebrate the marriage of one of our best friends, and then we were going to create enough debauchery to last us a lifetime.

Fearing we might be late for the start of the ceremony, Pete, Gav, Rachel, Payno and I ditched the idea of a cheesy chip butty in the Woodville and ambled down to City Hall for the 2pm start. Looking around the beautifully-decorated hall, we could see lots of familiar faces and those university days soon came flooding back. There was no organ in City Hall so thankfully Payno couldn’t test out his rusty singing skills and the bride and groom were soon husband and wife and we were back outside to the Cardiff sun.

After confetti, photographs and a lungful of exhaust from the wedding chariot, we bundled back into the cars and headed for the reception - to be held at the prestigious Celtic Manor hotel in Newport. For speed’s sake, Steve ‘Mad Murray the Monk’ and wife Kate whom Matt and I had met when we lived in France hitched a ride with us which turned out to be no time saver at all.

After a 14 mile detour down the road to Abergavenny thanks to the incorrect choice of route in search of our hotels, we parked up and made for the Celtic Manor - a huge hotel on a hill overlooking South Wales and with the sun beating down on us all, it was nothing less than spectacular. There were photographs to be taken, parents to be met and lots of catching up to do so the late afternoon hours soon flew by and the