| Saturday 26 November 2005 was a typical late November day in Long Preston, Yorkshire, England. The sky was overcast and the temperature hovered near 1 degree Celsius. At 1500 hours the sun peeked through the clouds. The bells in the ancient Norman tower of St. Mary's Church, Long Preston, Yorkshire, England tolled. The 140 assembled guests from as far as Devon, England; Glasgow, Scotland; Wales and Columbus, Ohio, USA awaited the procession of Bethany Hammond, soon to be Bethany Hammond Barry. At the completion of the tolling of the bells, the organist began playing Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. The assembled guests rose to witness the procession. As the bride processed down the aisle of this 13th century structure the guests were aware of the sorrow and joy that the couple had already experienced in their young lives and indeed gave thanks for the blessings bestowed on them by the Almighty. |
| Legend says that St. Mary's Church is built on ground that was once the site of an ancient Saxon place of worship. Indeed one feels a deep sense of spiritually comfort in this special place. The church which is built onto the outer wall of the Norman tower is surrounded by ancient trees and a truly ancient grave yard. And with the Yorkshire Dales looming in the near distance, it is a setting that has been romanticized for centuries by English poets and writers. _ This is a setting that can be imagined quite easily. I was fortunate enough, because of my friendship with the groom and his family, to experience it first hand. |
| The wedding ceremony was officiated over by the recently ordained vicar, Rev. David Hammond, brother of the bride and the sister of the groom said a reading from 1 John. For me the closing hymn, How Great Thou Art, held special meaning; the second verse and refrain were sung in Welsh. |
| Following the ceremony and picture taking, the bride and groom had to throw coins to some of the village children who had tied colorful ribbons to the gates of the church yard, before they could proceed to the waiting Rolls Royce Sedan and ride to the reception. |
| At the Coniston Hotel, the site of the wedding reception, three tall flagpoles were festooned with the flags of Wales, England and the United States. The U.S. flag was to recognize my presence but more importantly to recognize Matthew's strong affinity for America. He has spent time in the U.S. including a summer serving as an intern in the office of a U.S. Congressperson and is a Life member of the Welsh Society of Central Ohio. |
| The reception was filled with good food, wonderful stories (I fear some were slightly exaggerated), and good wine and other beverages and of course, dancing and singing. I am sure the reader of this account will understand how much I enjoyed the singing-almost entirely in Welsh-by Matthew's many Welsh friends and his immediate and extended family. |
| In closing, the journey of nearly 4,250 miles (one way) from Columbus, Ohio over a 24 hour period that began on Thanksgiving Day was an adventure that I will never forget. My congratulations and best wishes are extended to Bethany and Matthew Barry. May they enjoy many decades of marital bliss. |
