My beautiful niece Katie and her intended Javier (also beautiful in a dark and handsome Spanish way) are going to be married next Saturday but it’s not going to be a big affair in a grand hotel; they will be married in a tiny church on a grand country estate and have their reception in a nearby barn. Of course, it’s not just any barn, it is the most charming, colourful and characterful barn you could imagine; and it’s on Rosie and Slav’s farm (so it couldn’t help be lovely!).

Everybody has had fun mucking in (not ‘mucking out’) painting the floor, arranging flowers, revamping chairs, shining the copper pots and kettles, cutting the grass, putting up the marquee and making everything spic and span – but not too spic and span as Katie fears the country charm would be lost. She thinks the barn is perfect as it is. And so do I – almost – think I ought to make some more bunting. I have some pretty pink material and some white net with sparkles on it… not too grand.