The Bride and some of her dearest friends are off to Barcelona for a weekend to spend time together, shop, laugh and look at the sites. The friends come from different times and places in the Brides life and therefore this is also an opportunity for them all to meet - before they are charged with complex wedding tasks!!

The trip will take place around the weekend of the 12th March 2004 and we'll be flying out on the Thursday.

The Bride will be accompanied by:

• Miriam - her sister - 3 years her junior - lives in Orkney.

• Ally - her oldest friend - known since she was 8 and travelling down from Edinburgh especially. Throughout early adolescence they were completely inseparable.

• Gerry - met through a mutual acquaintance nearly 10 years ago - Gerry now lives in Cornwall, is as mad as a fish and a lovely person.

• Phil - the only man coming along - an artist, exceptionally knowledgeable about architecture and fantastic company - met 7 years ago. Lives in Gloucestershire.

• Bettina - Brides travelling companion to all sorts of exotic locations - currently sulking because is being denied the opportunity to join the happy couple on honeymoon! Met 5 years ago while travelling in Malaysia - since when she and the Bride have been to Indonesia, Jordan, Cuba and Romania together - as well as various European locations.

After the event....

The weekend of the 11th to the 15th of March was a very special one six people travelled to Barcelona to share friendship, fun and laughter and celebrate the marriage of a friend. It was also a weekend that changed Spain as it was the weekend of the tragic Madrid bombings. We felt very moved to witness the grief of the people in Barcelona.