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Cathedrals, castles prime venues during Britain’s wedding season
June 3, 2008Clare Krusing
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| Courtesy photo |
| Clare Krusing (left) and Adryan Dillon at Leeds Castle, where a wedding reception was held that day. Krusing thinks she accidentally made her way into the wedding video. |
While I’m happy to report no Ernie Pyle Scholars exchanged marital vows this weekend, we nearly crashed nuptial preparations at both Canterbury Cathedral and Leeds Castle. The couple holding their ceremony at the castle will be pleasantly surprised by my cameo appearance on their wedding video.
The day trip is one of two excursions we will take as a group (Brighton’s beaches are next on the list). And as we approach the halfway mark of our London summer, a trip to the countryside was the perfect antidote to the city’s chaos.
Thanks to our 7:30 a.m. start, we made it to Canterbury Cathedral before final preparations began on wedding No. 1. The cathedral’s breathtaking stone architecture attracts thousands of visitors, but only a select few are eligible to marry there. Only family members of cathedral employees, long-time parishioners or graduates of the Canterbury Christ Church University can use the venue.
We took advantage of the sun — a break from the typical London bout of rain — and headed to Leeds Castle for the afternoon. The former home to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, the castle boasted lush gardens, a beautiful lake and more than enough landscapes for scenic photos. The castle itself, despite its centuries-old history, has the feeling of a modern home thanks to its refurbishment in the middle half of the 20th century. There was such a feeling of normalcy and comfort inside the castle that it’s easy to forget you are touring an ancient attraction.
I might have gotten a little too comfortable. Next thing I knew, I was on a collision course with the groom making his way down a wooden staircase. The cameraman gave me the thumbs up to let me know I made it on the video. For both our sakes, I hope he knows how to use FinalCut.
During this trip, I was struck by the remarkable history of both locations. Canterbury Cathedral’s initial construction began in 1077 and Leeds Castle has been home to British royalty and nobility for nearly 1,000 years. For these institutions to withstand civil wars, plagues and political changes made me appreciate the fact that I could still experience something so significant. Our own American history hardly measures up to Canterbury’s and Leeds’ long-standing past.
With less than a month left, we are all eager to soak up as much European culture as possible before returning home. Trips to Dublin and Paris are all on the agenda for the coming weeks. I just hope no more wedding videos are involved.