The bride was on her way to the little room where the ceremony would take place and I took one more photo, just as the Registrar came back. Flash!
‘Now you’ve ruined it’ he shouted.’You blew it! No more photo’s!’
Excuse me? What had I done wrong? Apparently I’d flashed right in his face and our chances of taking any photo’s during the ceremony were blown.
The father of the bridegroom lay a hand on the Registrars shoulder and asked if he could be a bit more friendly, whereby the man retorted with ‘Don’t manhandle me!’ The two brothers of the bride, who were also her marriage witnesses, had walked in behind the Registar and where reprimanded with: ’Who told you to follow me?’
This was proceeded by complete confusion over the number of guests allowed inside the room. 10? 12? 8? Apparently 8, so three, of the small bridal party, had to go back and wait in the entrance. I was told - thank you! thank you! Mr.Registrar - to wait in the hallway until the ceremony was over, then allowed inside to take photo’s. Inside the tiny room music played that had been chosen by the bride and groom.
Mister Registrar asked how long the music would go on - not much longer was the answer. He decided not to wait and the music was abruptly turned off.
The Brazilian bride and her Brazilian guests didn’t understand what on earth was going on.
Later on we all took a look at the Marriage Certificate. Mr. Registrar’s name appeared to be Mr. Jolly.