Dom, Tan, Leilei, and Xixi in China: Wedding Day

It had sort of crept up unnoticed, but today was to be our big day. All the relatives and some friends were invited and when I went for a walk in the village I realised that Bangxu was really geared for our wedding. I think we'd paid about £120 for everything but that included all the cooking of all the meat and veg, and all the drinks for around 100 people. In terms of people it was three times our English equivalent. It was interesting to see the four huge pots cooking the ducks outside where we were to eat them in the non-air-conditioned room in the mid-thirties heat. But it was perfect. I may have been a little hot in my suit (and Tan certainly looked hot in hers, in a different way) but I didn't sweat and I think we made a decent-looking couple.

Cooking the ducks and other stuff for our wedding meal

It's not the done thing to appear to be touchy-feely so no kissing, but we held hands until we got to the bottom of the stone stairs that led aloft to the place we would be eating. There was not too much ceremony except for the traditional leaving of gifts. We'd already said we didn't want red envelopes with money and I think actually most people appreciated that and gave clothes for Leilei. In return, cigarettes were given out to the blokes and sweets to the kids. I don't know what unhealthiness was doled out to the ladies, or perhaps they're too intelligent to take such stuff.

Nicolas, Uncle Lu, Lao Ma, Peng (me), Tan, A Wu, A Da, A Ni, Uncle Yellow before the wedding meal

Tan and I welcoming our family and friends to our wedding meal

Me with one of Tan's uncles who was a very important doctor before his retirement

Once we'd met all the guests on their way upstairs it was time for us to join them. This was time for some nice photoshoots with Tan's family - some of which I may not meet again. By the time we finally got to sit down and eat most people had already finished their meal. But no-one had left. Oh no, now I had to do the walk, the gauntlet. I had to toast every man at every table. I enjoyed the first table, I quite liked the second. By the third I was thinking this was a little bit sexist and the fourth washed by before Tan told me I didn't need to drink the strong alcohol and could drink water or sweetcorn juice instead. Nice timing darling - couldn't you have let me know on the first table? Actually I was secretly ok with this as I'd been holding back on the beers, and I made it through all 12 tables or so without too much inebriation and nearly gave myself a high-five.

Chatting and drinking with the guests as it is customary to do

Our wedding meal in full swing - love this pic

One table before they arrived...

...and after

I think the meal only lasted an hour or less in total and I was actually quite happy to see people taking back what they couldn't eat in plastic bags, rather than wasting it. And suddenly, in the relatively early evening, that was it. Or so I thought.

A Wu, Uncle Yellow and Uncle Lu brought us all back to Waipo's house and proceeded to start a new meal. This, time, though, the only drink was beer, so I knew I wouldn't get drunk. We actually had a very pleasant evening despite the fact that my double-wife gave me some evil-eyes that evening, suggesting that I'd better not get back into our room comatose. As if, darling, as if....