The deed is done

Originally uploaded by sf2london.

There’s me, Gülay, Steven, and Jane in the Registrar’s office at Chelsea Old Town Hall. Gülay and Jane had to wait outside while the Registrar reviewed all the details (Does Patty have a middle name or doesn’t she? Steven’s an Advertising Director, correct? Etc.) and we looked at our ceremony options:
A) The Short Ceremony: I, ______________, promise to share my life openly with you, ______________.
B) The Full-Length Ceremony: I, ______________, will go antiquing with you, _______________. Then we’ll move to the country, open a B&B, adopt a couple of Guatemalan babies, and live in connubial partnered bliss civilly and happily until death do us part so help me God amen blah blah blah etc. etc.
C) The Very Short Ceremony: Yo! We’re civil partners, dude!
We chose D) None of the Above.
Then the Registrar had to copy lots of stuff into the Register while we all sat there. To while away the time, Jane explained why she and Gülay were dressed the way they were to the Registrar and her assistant. Steven had a difficult time explaining it all to me, using the blanket excuse of “after X glasses of wine, ...” Lots of signing ensued, and then we were done.
After inspecting the Bridal Powder Room, Steven & I exited the building and our wititnesses pelted us with potpourri (apparently confetti is a no-no in these green times) while a poor, unsuspecting Italian tourist was conscripted to snap a couple photos for posterity.
We then hopped in a taxi and headed to a secret destination for lunch. The only clue was that Steven & I had to wear jackets & ties. Somehow this must have compensated for the ladies’ extreme cleavage, as we were actually admitted to (and served at) the R.A.C.
And, you know, that’s pretty much it. Now we’re hitched!