Weird And Wonderful

Was their day the stuff of dreams, or nightmares?

- ALEX PINE

It wasn't going to be a traditional wedding by any stretch of the imagination. Emma and her fiancé Craig had been planning it for months and they wanted it to be different.

The guests had all been warned what to expect and those with children had been advised to leave them at home.

No one had been surprised when the couple first announced that the nuptials would take place on Hallowe'en, or that the chosen venue was reputed to be one of the most haunted hotels in Cumbria.

After all, Craig ran a paranormal events company and had been hosting ghost hunts across the Lake District for the past three years. And since meeting him two years ago Emma had also become a true believer in all things supernatural, even though she had yet to see a ghost herself.

They were both hoping that their spooky wedding would be hugely entertaining for all those attending. And if they managed to conjure up the spirits that supposedly roamed within the walls of the hotel, a former Gothic castle overlooking Lake Windermere, then that would truly be the icing on the cake.

"Are you ready to make your grand entrance, my love?" Emma's father asked as they stepped out of the bridal suite with her three bridesmaids.

"I am, Dad," she replied excitedly. "I just hope it lives up to our expectations." He laughed. "Oh, there's no question about that, Emma. You know my view weddings, like holidays, are meant to be fun. And from what I've seen of the set-up downstairs this one is going to be a blast."

"Have we gone over the top a bit?"

"Of course you have, but that's the point, isn't it? You chose the Hallowe'en theme so you could be creative and have a wedding that's out of this world."

Emma was wearing a black gown with a flowing tulle in deep layered shades. She was sure it was going to blow Craig's mind when he saw it. Her lips were also black and her make-up dark and dramatic.