How to find common ground

I HAVE often heard it said that people don’t enjoy their own wedding. The stress, the consensus seems to be, is so overwhelming that the day passes in a blur of Champagne and anxiety.

- Patrick Galbraith

It is true that things can go wrong—at a wedding in Surrey, I wit-nessed the break up of a long relationship when two (at-that-point married) people were caught canoodling behind the marquee. At another in Devon, there was a scuffle after a guest unwisely tried to kiss the bride’s mother. My own wedding a fortnight ago was entirely without incident. Two six year olds did fight (over a water pistol) and blood was drawn, but other than that, it was a wonderful day. My only sadness is that it is over; Constance and I cannot get married again.

In the run-up, I kept being asked whether I was nervous. In truth, I felt no nerves at all. I possibly should have done, but, as cake was being made and flower arrangements planned, I was travelling the country to talk about my new book about access (