Free Thirteen Weddings by Paige Toon Page A

small bar has been set up inside and a
member of staff is putting down a silver tray full of wine glasses brimming with a peachy-coloured cocktail. I could do with one of those. I take some photos, keeping my eye on the doors, until
finally I see the wedding party start to arrive.
    The rest of the waiting staff have gathered in the marquee, and we all clap when Suzie and Mike come towards us. Suzie blushes adorably and takes two flutes of champagne.
    ‘Cheers!’ She and Mike chink glasses and she giggles while he smiles lovingly at her.
    I continue taking candid camera shots while cocktails and canapés are served until I feel a tug on my arm. I look down to see Suzie’s gran’s watery blue eyes peering up at me
from under her purple hat.
    ‘Got any good ones?’ she asks.
    ‘Absolutely.’ I smile at her. ‘They’re gorgeous, aren’t they?’
    She nods with satisfaction and I take a picture of her. She bats my arm away and I laugh. Rachel interrupts.
    ‘Time to do the group shots.’ She hands me a piece of paper with the various group shots requested by the bride and groom: his family, her family, wedding party, friends. It’s
my job to gather everyone together, which is tricky and tiring, but various friends and relatives help me hunt out the guests we need.
    Afterwards we need to take Suzie and Mike for a private shoot – no hangers-on allowed. Rachel needs the bride and groom’s full attention and wants them to be as relaxed as possible
without a host of friends and family looking on. So we steal them away to the sunny green field behind the pub and shoot some atmospheric pictures of them walking hand in hand through the long
grass. They hug and kiss like pros without complaining. Job done.
    ‘We can have a break before the speeches,’ Rachel tells me, leading me inside the pub. The guests are getting seated ready for the wedding breakfast to start, and I flash a grin at
Maria as we pass by her table. She’s here as a guest now, sitting with a group of young people. I eye her glass of champagne with envy.
    A moment later, we’re in a small office beside the kitchen and Rachel is putting a glass of fizz in my hand.
    ‘Really?’ I ask with surprise. I didn’t think we’d be allowed to drink on the job.
    ‘Of course. One’s not going to kill us. And you totally deserve this.’
    ‘Aw, thanks.’ We chink glasses and I take a sip, but her face is serious.
    ‘Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done without you today.’ She perches her bum against the desk.
    ‘You haven’t seen my pictures yet,’ I joke. ‘I hope they’re okay,’ I add nervously.
    ‘You’re welcome to come over to mine tomorrow and help me process them if you like?’
    ‘I’d love to!’ And I genuinely would. I’m dying to see the fruits of our labours. I thought I’d have to wait weeks, like the bride and groom.
    A waitress appears at the door with two plates. ‘Hungry?’ she asks.
    ‘Starving,’ Rachel replies, moving from the desk so the waitress can put the plates down.
    ‘Enjoy,’ she says brightly. We call our thanks after her as she leaves the room.
    I look down at the smoked salmon starter. It’s part of our contract that we get fed, but I wasn’t expecting wedding food.
    ‘Yum.’
    The break is a welcome one, but it will be over far too quickly. I’ve had to be friendly and professional all day, and now I find I can’t stop yawning.
    ‘The speeches are next,’ Rachel says, giggling at me as I don’t even bother trying to stifle what must be about my twentieth yawn. ‘They should perk you up. This lot seem
like a good bunch, so I suspect their speeches will be half decent. I’ve heard some rubbish ones, I can tell you.’ I smile and she continues. ‘Then it’s cut-the-cake time
– a bit boring, but a box we need to tick – and after that, the first dance. You can let your hair down and have a few drinks with Maria once that’s over. I’ll cover the
last dance, and drive us