Celebrating Candlemas as an Agricultural Festival

Iona and Conor’s wedding

Last Friday Iona (Meg and Martin’s oldest daughter) married Conor O’ Reilly (a former coworker) in the Churchtown Dairy. The guests who included family and friends from Scotland, Ireland, South Africa and England as well as the whole community celebrated a truly beautiful wedding. The non denominational celebrant started the ceremony by inviting the elements in and as Iona and Conor walked into the barn accompanied by fiddle music, the wind blew up and then in the space of a half hour we witnessed rain, sun, and as they left the barn following the  ceremony a rainbow appeared! 

The male members of Conors family wore kilts and Iona wore a vintage dress from the 1940’s and a floral piece and veil and wildflower bouquet. The bridesmaids (who included Iona’s sisters ( Emily and Cecilia)  and childhood friends, Nora Paholak and Finnoughla Steen and Conor’s sister, Lissa wore roses in their hair and muted pastel tones. The little Triform coworker girls were flower girls and walked Iona in throwing flower petals. Little brother to Iona, Fabian and cousin to Conor , Sam were ring bearers.

After the ceremony there were handmade cordials (rhubarb and elderflower) and Pimm’s (a British summer cocktail) This gave time for the slow roasted Triform raised piglets to be brought out and carved. The pork was accompanied by many delicious European styled salads made in Triform with our own produce including quark cheese tarts, homemade mozzarella and tomato salad, kale, arugula, potato and watermelon/ cucumber and feta salads. The locally famous Russet Trio struck up and caller Gail quickly had almost everyone on the dance floor dancing to folk tunes. 

As the sunset we brought out the desserts and cakes. The wedding cakes were both a traditional three tiered butter cream sponge cake and a Danish  Kranse Kage ( made wit h marzipan) both made by talented coworker , Johanna . We had lemon tarts and mini cupcakes as well. 

The evening was rounded off with an offering of speeches by best man Sasha and maid of honor Nora and two Scottish love songs sung by Triform choir. All who attended experienced the beauty of the setting and the joy reflected in the bride and groom.