The BCN Wedding of the Year 2012

How to cause Chaos with a Flotilla

"If a flotilla is good enough for the Queen's Jubilee, then I want one for my wedding" said the bride-to-be. Did she realise what she was starting, with that simple comment?

Our friends John and Nicki each lived on their own boat at Hockley Port (a couple of miles from the heart of Birmingham); they were getting married at the Register Office which is beside the canal at Holliday Wharf (near the Cube and the Mailbox). Plans were soon under way for their boaty friends to form a flotilla; the bride and groom would each arrive on their own boat and would then leave together on one boat followed by a flotilla of 15 others.

Under the guidance of the appointed Pageant-master, we all assembled to decorate our boats while awaiting the arrival of the newlyweds, and then formed a procession immediately behind them. All the wedding guests were accommodated on the boats, and the champagne-bottles were opened as we made our way through the centre of Birmingham. People on the towpath cheered, the public trip-boats hooted (either to wish congratulations, or to ask the flotilla to get our of their way, I'm not sure which) as we assembled for photographs at Deep Cuttings junction (that's the one with the roundabout in the middle). Boats filled the whole area, so that you could walk from one side of the junction to the other across their roofs, and the whole scene was one of incredible joyfulness!

Photographs completed, we made our way to Hockley Port, to gather for a fabulous party which lasted through to the small hours of the morning. Thank you John and Nicki for letting us share your wonderful day.

Debbie and the boat are both wearing their finery	Here comes the Pageant-master ...	... and after a quick hug from Debbie ...	... he continues his inspection of the waiting fleet
The bride arrives with her father ...	... and departs with her new husband	The boats are looking good, bedecked with bunting and balloons
The flotilla pauses at the Junction for photographs	There are still plenty of boats behind us in the flotilla	The last few boats get into position	The pageant-master surveys the scene as the junction is completely filled with boats
The flotilla sets off again	We begin to make our way along the Main Line	The bride helps to moor the boats at Hockley Port	Hockley Port moorings start to fill with boats

Postscript: John and Nicki sold their two boats and bought a bigger one with the proceeds.

All pictures on this site are © Allan Jones unless otherwise stated