‘Right. Yurts ready, tick. Tables laid out in barn for inspection by the bride, tick. Hire chairs arriving for the Singing Tree ceremony at midday, tick. They can go up first thing, so they don’t get any morning dew on them.’ She looked to Stan.
‘Aye, Miss Sennen, I can do that for you on the trailer, then get back in time to decorate it.’
‘Decorate a trailer?’ Kelly screwed up her face.
‘Yes, the wedding guests are going up on it. I’ve made a special rail for them to hold on to.’ Sennen ran a pen down her list. ‘Priya, you’re greeting the Passion Flowers florist van at ten a.m. tomorrow.’
Priya nodded. ‘All set.’
‘Pedestal arrangements to come up to the Singing Tree, then back down to the barn after the ceremony. Actually, Jago, if you could do the second run in the Defender, amazing.’
‘Sure.’
‘Mum, FYI caterers are coming at eight to get organised. So, your kitchen needs to be clear.’
Rita rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. ‘Don’t worry, it’ll be clean as a whistle.’
‘Thanks, Jago, for lending us the extra fridge; it makes more sense than ferrying stuff to yours.’ He nodded in appreciation. Sennen flipped a page. ‘Teo, are you all set to bring the yurt guests down for breakfast?’
Teo gave a mock salute. ‘Sí, sí, shuttle service fully operational. And I won’t spare the… horses.’
A ripple of laughter ran through the room.
‘Perfect, Teo. And I’ve told the bridal party they can use the upstairs of the annexe to get ready so they have all the mod cons, mirrors, hot showers. No excuses for meltdowns, then.’
Rita laughed. ‘You’d better warn Hilda that’s happening, then, and maybe the guests that my dear mother-in-law has no filter.’
Jago grinned, giving a quick wave. ‘Right, I’ll leave you to it, then. Don’t work too hard, yeah?’ With that, he headed out.
‘What time is the actual ceremony?’ Kelly enquired.
‘Good point.’ Sennen grinned. ‘Twelve thirty up the top. The bride wants everyone to see her grand entrance in the carriageobviously, so she is arriving outside the barn at twelve ten precisely.’
Kelly raised her eyes. ‘Obviously.’
‘The groom is going to be here to witness it, too; she wanted this bit of drama for him as well, as he has no idea at all of what’s happening all day, to be honest.’
‘I hope he isn’t expecting a five-star hotel,’ Rita laughed.
‘He will be getting a five-star service so that’s what counts,’ Sennen added seriously. ‘Umm. What else? Oh yes, so Stan is set to whip everyone up the top of High Meadow in the trailer, which includes the celebrant, who is arriving at eleven thirty. Kelly, can I task you to meet and greet her, please?’
‘Course, love, what time did you say again?’
Sennen’s forehead furrowed. ‘Eleven thirty, she’s called Amanda Crispin. Her number is on the notes sheet I will be giving everyone after this.’ She cleared her throat. ‘And Mum is bringing the bride in the Jimny so she can walk down the makeshift aisle that is going to be lined with rustic-chic metal buckets, filled with coastal wildflowers. Each one a gift for guests to take as a keepsake with an extra pack of wildflower seeds, which I thought was a nice touch.’
‘I love that.’ Priya nodded.
‘Oh, and another thing,’ Sennen thought aloud. ‘The harpist has her own van. Zen, could you, or maybe Priya, look after her too?’
They both nodded.
Rita looked slightly pensive. ‘I’m worried if the bride is arriving in a Cinderella carriage, can we assume she will bewearing some kind of meringue affair? Which may well not fit in the Jimny.’
‘It’s all fine, Mum,’ Sennen soothed, then looking to her phone that had just buzzed, added, ‘OK, that’s her; they are running half an hour late. Good luck, everyone.’
All of a sudden, Thom came running in. ‘Shit, sorry I’m so late. I err… had to see a man about a dog.’
‘Yeah, yeah.’ Sennen winked at him. ‘You overslept, I know it.’
