The Wedding……My Wedding

I think it was the editor of my book that said “Hap, you could not make your life any more random/interesting if you tried”.

Sometimes I have wished it was a little less interesting, ie not breaking up in the middle of Africa while making a documentary and helping set up a bike shop. But as I said in my wedding speech, if it wasn’t for living the saddest day of my life, I wouldn’t have been able to live the happiest day of my life.

Yup, I know, for a lot of you this will come as a surprise as the last you would of known about Mandy and I was the emotional blog post I wrote about us breaking up. Well pretty much one year to the day after we were balling our eyes out at the bus station in Zambia, thinking we would never be seeing each other again (I was still denied entry to the States and Mandy had no reason (and money) to come to New Zealand), we were getting married! (NB Most of my blog readers knew this anyway, but for those of you that are thinking of giving my book as an xmas present, I suggest you don’t tell the recipient about our marriage, let them go on the ups and downs of the emotional roller coaster! – It’s only fair, Mandy and I had to!)

BUT, luckily I “sorted my shit out”. Everyone will have their own thoughts on why I broke up and then got back together, eg time apart makes the heart grow fonder, Hap was blowing out turning 30 and realised what he had etc. Yes there are elements of truth in those reasons, but the real reason of why that happened only a few people know, well….soon to be the whole world when the book comes out!

All I can say is that at least I did “sort my shit out” in time, and Mandy is so bloody amazing and understanding. And once again as my editor said “well, at least it makes for one hell of a story!” And yup, that it does!

OK, enough of that, apparently photos say a thousand words, and I know you ladies reading this love wedding photos, so here are a few snaps, (cheers to Jerm, bugz and ferret – the wedding photography and production crew/best man, grooms man/stag organiser) of the happiest day of my life.  Woop woop.

But first a couple of Stag party photos (clay bird shooting):

Please note, the author of this blog does not condone the use of firearms by babies, especially if they look as creepy as this big baby!

Don’t worry I was in safe hands, my baby sitters were very responsible. (please note: the author of this blog does not support the consumption of alcohol by babies either).

OK, I think it’s best we leave the stag do photos there, as “babies were harmed”. How about some lovely wedding pics

The ladies looking great…..and Geoffrey!

What a great age we live in, Mandy’s family and friends back in Colorado were able to watch the whole ceremony through skype!

“shit, I should be able to remember my vows, I only wrote them last night”

great photo.  Signing of the marriage cert with best man and maid of honour. I’m probably thinking “yes! I’m married, I can finally lose my virginity!”

Haze, the wedding singer!!! For anyone who has watched the documentary “Bikes for Africa” the beautiful female voice belonged to Haze.

The whanua

Gen Y photo

Gen X photo

Johno and Aunty Jill (the little angel behind the wedding organising)

For those of you that were wondering! (pun intended)

Party time!

OK, I think we will end on that note.

Thank you all for making it such a special day!