Travel Karma- Pt 4 Nothing Can Compare To When You Roll The Dice and Swear Your Love's For Me

So Wednesday 20th Feb we set off for the wedding venue. The ceremony and celebrations were to take place at Castaways, Kariotahi Beach, Waiuku about an hour south of Auckland.

We got there in one piece. We had to turn back after about ten minutes because Sandy had forgotten the rings! But other than that it was an easy journey with out note other than mine and Phil's arguments over music [She's So Lovely by Scouting For Girls is a great song what ever he says!].

The venue was stunning. I stayed in a chalet with Sandy and Andrew [a Kiwi groomsman whose fiance was Maid of Honour]. The view from the chalet was breath taking and the weather glorious.

Giles [Bassist] who was best man and his girlfriend Caroline rocked up later than the rest of us. They'd spent a few days on their own travelling the South Island.

Having missed out on the stag do I was determined to have a great night... 15 pints and two Cuban cigars later I did have. We [the groomsmen] talked and drank and smoked into the early hours reminiscing, arguing about music and generally catching up. Sarah [who obviously was in the bridal chalet] told me later that all she could hear all night was Sandy's laugh carrying across the complex... when they first met the reason she approached him was all she could hear across the bar was his contagious laugh... ahhh!

The morning of the wedding Sandy woke me early [which I wasn't all that happy about] but a swim in the sea soon washed away the hang over. We lazed around for the morning and then after lunch got into our Kilts.... yes Kilts! I should perhaps explain that Sandy is Sandy Stirling... so the groomsmen, groom and groom's male family were all in kilts.

The wedding was pretty much perfect. Sarah walked down 'the isle' to Dice by Finlay Quaye. 'The isle' was actually two rows of petals along the cliff side. Vows were said, readings were read, Phil played and sang Fall At Your Feet by Crowded House [and Giles did backing] while the register was signed.

Post ceremony we were driven onto the beach for photos which seemed to take for ever and I've yet to see any of them...

The meal was stunning, steak with Yorkshire puddings stuffed with pate... yum.

I got drunk [obviously], we all discovered that we actually really liked to dance to Justin Timberlake - Bringing Sexy Back....

I'll spare you the Henry R. 'Scandell'...

Next day we were due to drive two and half hours north to another beach and a beautiful house... You guessed it Part 5 will be the one you're all waiting for!