The day of Issey’s wedding was warm but cloudy – some rain was forecast. The ceremony was at 3pm at Bardolino Town Hall. Tony and I travelled with the bride in a beautiful 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow driven by Nicholas, one of Ame’s friends – his best man. We all felt very special as our car slowly drove through the busy streets of Bardolino to the town square. The area was surrounded by restaurants and cafés. A crowd had gathered around the town hall to see the bride and there was a round of applause as Issey alighted from the Rolls and everyone clapped as she made her way to the town hall on the arm of her father. Issey felt very self conscious.
As we left the town hall after the ceremony there was a huge downpour of rain. The square had emptied, cafés were shutting their covers and everywhere seemed suddenly deserted. We managed to purchase several bottles of Prosecco and some plastic glasses from reluctant café staff who failed to appreciate that they had ninety or so thirsty customers stranded on the far side of the square by the monsoon. The entire wedding party settled at tables under an awning next to the town hall to enjoy a post wedding “stiffener”. As soon the the rain cleared we were able to march on through the town to catch buses taking us to the restaurant in the hills for the wedding reception.
