3 weddings and a festival

I have been a bit neglectful of this blog of late, the reason being that May has been the month when all matrimony broke loose at Inshriach.

First past the post were Josie and J who married down by the river then christened the newly turfed main stage / main wedding field in style with 4 ten metre diameter tipis, arranged in a diamond formation with fires and fairy lights and a stage. (This photo courtesy of Joe Maclay, click on it for the full effect).

Ruth and John (spectacular overland travellers themselves, having driven a Land Rover from Cambridge to Sydney) chose two of Red Kite Yurts finest, a hand made Kyrgysh 42 footer for dinner and dancing and a 24 footer for food and a bar. We resurrected the Insider awning along the veranda for the ceremony and then danced reels in a circle around the band (ord ban the band).

And then came the Langans. Their occupation of the house was somehow shorter and yet more thorough. They were very fortunate to hang onto the giant yurt. John has been a regular here over the last few years, his band have played both Insiders so they know their way round and gathered among the guests were some very fine musicians. The moments I remember - Bryan Benner singing arias in the squash court, Dave Tunstall and Hazen Metro both piping John up to the ceremony in the woods, a kitchen full of fiddlers, Chandra singing Malian wedding songs, the Banana Sessions making for an amazing, stomping wedding band, a man who spent the entire weekend dressed as a tiger, dreadlocks, dogs, loads of smiles and a crowd of genuine, open and lovely folks. And Richard Muirhead.

That's not to say that the other weddings were less than lovely but this one was close to my heart. I wish all three couples the very best. Inshriach now plays host to a stag party (friends) and 2 weeks filming before we hope to get everyone back again for the Insider.