If all goes well, our next wedding anniversary will be the 55th.

Phew! I wonder where that time has gone?

Are you thinking of getting married?

Have you worked out how much it will all cost? Everything is so expensive, and there’s just so much to do.

But don’t worry, as there are people who can do all that for you. What you need is a wedding planner.

The wedding planner can organise absolutely everything you need.

You may fancy a wedding in a stately home, or a marquee in the garden. Everything from the invitations to the going home gifts,

No problem, just ask the planner. All you need to do, according to Google, is write a big cheque.

Would you believe, the average cost of getting spliced today is £35,000?

Things have certainly changed since we tied the knot.

A couple of pints the night before the wedding is now more likely to be a long weekend in Amsterdam for the boys and somewhere similar and probably more expensive for the girls.

And don’t get me started on wedding photos.

A few years ago, we were away at a family wedding in England. We were in the church, in our seats and waiting for the action to start.

We waited and waiting for, well it must have been about an hour. I think I dozed off twice.

It turned out that the hold-up was caused by the photographer and the bride. They’d been outside the church doing a few re-takes of the bride arriving at the church.

It didn’t take as long to sink the Titanic.

They filmed the bride walking up the aisle, down the aisle, swinging from the roof, (I made that bit up), kneeling, standing, signing the register, and whatever else brides do.

The happy couple were then filmed leaving the church by the photographer walking backwards.

No, he didn’t trip, but I think that everyone in the congregation who used to believed in the power of prayer would by now have changed their minds.

Close family were then asked to follow the stars of the show, and the rest of the peasants (us) were left, trapped inside for a further 45 minutes until the group photos had been taken on the steps of the church.

When we were eventually released from captivity, we had to watch and wave as a vintage car, bride and groom and two glasses of champagne drove slowly away to the reception.

Sadly, the marriage didn’t last. I think that the bride ran off with the photographer.

Our wedding was in Kirk Braddan Church on a wet Saturday afternoon in March.

I was never known for hanging about, and getting married was no exception.

On Saturday 14th March 1965, I finished work at about twelve o’clock and had a quick haircut at Ken Dobson’s barber’s shop on the way home. I can’t remember much about the rest of the afternoon.

We had the reception in the Villa Marina cafe. Brown Eyes has reminded me that we had to supply our own alcohol.

This wasn’t a problem as neither family were users or boozers, and I think that the photos were taken by Bill Peters, a well known photographer in his day.

We had flown to Manchester, collected the hire car and made good time to our honeymoon hotel, ’The Woolpack’ in Kendal.

Our first night together as husband and wife was followed by our first breakfast together.

For the benefit of those who are interested in details, the reception in the Villa cost 7/6d per head, and the hire car, a Vauxhall Viva, was £12 10s for the week.

We had then drifted off on our journey to the rest of our lives. I have enjoyed every minute.

Thank you Irene, it has been an adventure.

A decade ago Pullyman - aka Michael Cowin - was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, a condition that affects people in different ways. Michael discovered writing and Island Life is featuring some of his musings. Sometimes topical, sometimes nostalgic, read about life as seen through the eyes of Pullyman