It felt as if autumn had arrived in the Howgills earlier this week, so it was a great relief that the wedding day dawned dry. I was up early checking the stock before helping the six groomsmen get their cufflinks and bow ties on in the farmhouse kitchen.
Our middle son, Hector, was marrying Georgia from a farm in the nearby village of Ravenstonedale. The wedding was taking place in the village church, and the reception on her family’s farm.
Hector is county chair of Cumbria Young Farmers and over 300 were invited to the evening reception. The organisation has been an invaluable social network for Georgia and Hector, and they both have leadership roles in their local groups.
The groomsmen were all dressed in tweed, and travelled from our farm to the village sitting on bales of straw in a trailer attached to a beautiful vintage Massey Ferguson tractor. Meanwhile, I drove behind with my hazards flashing and ribbons all over my Land Rover.
It is still common for young farmers in our area to have a traditional church wedding and make sure that local traditions have been honoured. I had found a big old horseshoe in one of our barns and painted it to give to Georgia after the wedding for good luck.
Another of the local customs is that children tie the gates of the churchyard closed with strung, and won’t untie it until they are given money after the service, so we had bags of coins for Hector to throw to them. Outside the church, more young farmers were dressed in white show coats holding decorated hay forks to make an arch.
Family and friends were gathered in the church. The 18th-century St Oswalds was decked out in autumnal bloom; the church is unusual as the pews face the centre of the church, so when Georgia arrived with her dad we were all looking towards them as they walked along the aisle.
It was a happy day, not a day for tears, but when I saw Georgia, and when my dad and oldest son, Oscar, surprised us by singing Stand By Me to the happy couple, I did get a lump in my throat.
• Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian’s Country Diary, 2018-2024, is available now at guardianbookshop.com
