Many people have helped me in the writing of this novel, either by sending me their notions of an ideal wedding, or in various other ways. I’d like to thank every one of them. In alphabetical order, then: Marianne Adey, Annie Ashworth, Rachel Benson, Caroline Bentley-Davies, Bespoke Events, Victoria Blashford-Snell, Sue Bush, Laura Cecil, Rebecca Cooper, Jo Dawson, Dianne Drymoussis, Susan Hill, Alice Hudson, Nicolette Jones, Morag Joss, Roger Judd, Joan Keating (and her children), Sara McDonald, Sarah Margolis, Katharine Martin, Sophie Masson, Geraldine McCaughrean, Gus Mills, Claire Morris, Sue Neale, Linda Newbery (and Hamish), Claire O’Grady, Janet Parr, Bella Pearson, Margaret Powling, Sally Prue, Edward Russell-Walling, Jessica Ruston, Linda Sargent (and Mister), Phiiippa Shepherd, Alison Stanley, Hazel Townson, Jean Ure, Gill Vickery, Anne Weale and Tara Wood.
Very special thanks to Kate Merrigan for bringing the wedding dress and the bridesmaids’ dresses so beautifully to life in her sketches.
Anyone who’s been on an Arvon Course will recognize Fairford Hall, but it is a fictional recreation of one of the Arvon Foundation’s centres and not the real thing. Some people may also know the original of the Shipwreck Café, which is not in Dorset.
Jane Wood, Emma Dunford and Jane Gregory were a great support throughout. Finally, many thanks as always to Norm Geras, and to Sophie Hannah who read every page before anyone else and whose excellent advice I have, as usual, relied on.