My oldest and dearest friend got married yesterday. Nothing unusual in that you are thinking apart from the fact that it was a little different to the norm as it was a Civil Ceromony...he has married his long tiime boyfriend.

I was sitting here minding my own business on tuesday afternoon when the phone rang and it was Paul, which is always lovely as he lives in London Town and I don't get to see him enough, but in the middle of the afternoon it was a bit of a worry. 'What are you doing friday afternoon?' was the question posed to me, 'Fernando and I are coming down to Cornwall to get married, would you be our witness and don't tell anyone'. Wow.

I have always known that he was gay and have always been secretly in love with the guy, dealt with years ago, we have been through thick and thin together and he is like a brother and soul mate at the same time. Last thing that I heard he was planning a huge do where Elton John married David Furnish.

Paul works as a lawyer in 'The CIty' and Fernando is the third CO of Loreal Europe so they are not short of a bob or two and are very, very involved in the gay scene in London and have consequently got lots and lots of friends and colleagues who would expect an invite to their 'wedding'.

I think they got swamped. They didn't know who to ask and where to stop so decided to 'elope' down here, without telling anyone, with just the 6 of their closest friends here to share their day.

It was wonderful. My eldest daughter came with me as she is their 'Goddaughter' and the actual service was actually very sweet and made me cry-along with one of the grooms...dear Paul got very overwhelmed by it all and cried his way through his vows, which set me off. We then went and got a coffee and slice of cake in a lovely little coffee shop in Truro and then came home for a rest before going to a very swish restaurant for dinner.

What do you buy, at very short notice, for what are technically millionaires on paper, who moved in together 3 years ago and are the type who would spend over £200 on a toaster? Talwyn, my eldest, and I decided to go the home made route, as there is nothing that I could muster up from a shop that they would (probably not) appreciate. Paul has always adored my jam victoria sponge so I made him one of those, iced it and my friend made some wonderful home-made, very delicate sugar paste flowers to sit on top of it and make it look like a wedding cake.

I really don't get out very often, not often enough I have now decided, but it was really one of the best days that I have had for years and I am so happy for Paul and Fernando and wish them the very best for the future. I love them both.

(Oh and Talwyn and I got perks too-two wonderful gift baskets packed full of very expensive make up and hair care products that Fernando got from work for us-weren't we lucky :) )

xxxx