How Time Flies

Tracy's big day

It’s hard to believe that two years have passed since my daughter got married, time has just flown by. Two years ago tomorrow was the day that I was officially no longer the most important man in my daughter’s life.

I knew that her immediate family and bridesmaids were gathering at her house before the wedding and I remember getting up that morning and thinking how hectic it would have been there and hoping that everything was going to plan.

When I was ready I drove the short distance to Tracy’s house. I think I must have been the last one to arrive as the house was packed when I got there. Other members of the family had just turned up, the bridesmaids had been there since the early hours of the morning helping her to get ready, and the official photographer was quite happily snapping away at anything that moved. When I entered the house and saw my daughter it literally took my breath away. She was the most beautiful bride I had ever seen.

Time to go

Shortly after I arrived it was time to leave for the ceremony. We stepped outside into the bright sunshine, a perfect day for a wedding, and after squeezing Tracy into the wedding car, it was time to go. What should have been just a five minute drive turned into a thirty minute tour of Huddersfield. Traditionally it is the bride’s prerogative to turn up late but I think that long drive was to allow time for all the family and bridesmaids to get to there before us, and perhaps to calm the bride down a little as well. It was certainly a different kind of ride from the many other times we have been in a car together – not quite the same as, when she was younger, a voice coming from the back seat saying, “Are we there yet?”

After making a few phone calls from the car to check that everyone was where they were supposed to be, we eventually arrived at the registrar’s office where there was time for a few more photographs before the ceremony began. I remember thinking as I walked her down the aisle that I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to give her away, she was my little girl and I wanted to keep her. She looked happy though, a little apprehensive perhaps, but definitely happy. It was time for me to step down and take second place.

The happy couple

Once the ceremony was over it was quite literally a walk in the park. The wedding party and all the guests made their way to Beaumont Park, just a short distance away from Huddersfield town centre.

Weather wise the day was perfect and the park provided an excellent backdrop for her wedding photos. The one shown here is just one of the many hundreds taken that day.

It really is hard to believe that all this was two years ago though. How can it be that long ago? It’s all still so fresh in my mind that it feels as though it was only yesterday.