A Wedding in Alsace

My ultimate destination in France was a family wedding in the Alsace not far from Strasbourg. I had intended to spend two days in Strasbourg, but the EU Parliament was sitting for exactly the two days I would have been there and hotel prices tripled, so I chose Paris instead.

From Paris I took the TGV (fast train) east. The speed of the trains are posted on internal screens  so I know we traveled 317k/m but it didn't feel that. It was an easy trip.

Obernai

In Strasbourg I joined other family members to drive south. Our destination was about an hour and a half from Strasbourg but we stopped at picturesque Obernai for lunch then headed for the tiny roads to wind our way over the hills to beat the heat (34C). The temperature guage dropped as we climbed through the forests.

The Alsace is as pretty as they say. Lots of forests, patches of wheat and hay, houses built to withstand snow, some villages with very  'French' architecture and others that reminded of Switzerland.

Bluets et Brimbelles. Definately recommended.

Our accommodation,  Bluets et Brimbelles  was an artfully renovated barn. The internal woodwork leading up the three storeys was beautiful and the place was big enough to accommodate a larger family party.  Family members arrived a couple of days early so there was time to adjust and to help. It also meant the wedding became a sort of family reunion as well.

Stairwell at Bluets et Brimbelles

Bluets et Brimbelles reminded me of those TV Building and Renovation programs.  This one was a very successful make over. 

 View from our accommodation

The wedding was held over three days. As international guests (there were many) arrived they joined the local family for lunch under the shade of hazelnut trees. Dinner was within walking distance at a community building down the road with lovely gardens and extensive lawns. Lunch the next day was at the same venue where locals made Flammekueche in an outdoor oven.

Making Flammekueche

After lunch guests walked over to the town hall for the wedding ceremony. The hall was already brimming with local townfolk.

The ceremony was about an hour long, most of it designed by the bridal party. It was casual, charming and moving.

Town hall wedding

Share rides were organised to get everyone to the venue of the celebration party in the evening (40 minutes away), and to he breakfast venue next day.
The three days were a masterpiece of good planning; very relaxed but effective. All credit to the young couple.

Party venue with dancers

The Alsatians are rightly proud of their food. On every side people were exclaiming at how delicious this or that was. Unfortunately I can't report myself as I got a stomach bug on day 1 and was on 3 days of water rations.

An unexpected wedding

I attended a wedding today, though I don't know whose.

I had sought refuge from the heatwave that has enveloped the region and was sitting quietly drawing the stained glass windows in Maribor Cathedral when I noticed a woman in a white hat sitting with several gentlemen in the front row.

Then in strode a a priest in full regalia and a young man with a music score in his hand ran up the stairs at the back. Soon the organ started playing, the doors opened and in streamed the wedding guests followed by two little girls in pink leading a bride on the arm of her father. As they walked up the isle accompanied by thunderous music I wondered why I was suddenly fighting tears. What is it  that makes one emotional at these moments? Thoughts about the shortnes of life? About the young couples chances of enduring happiness?
As they all signed the register the organist thundered out the bridal march.
'Wait,' I thought 'this sounds like Wagner's music.'
And it was. The bridal march comes from the opera Lohengrin and the organist kept playing Lohengrin music as the register was signed and the priest and happy couple and their parents all toasted eachother with glasses of white wine (this is a wine growing region after all). This is when I should have cried, but I didn't, I just sat there thinking how lucky I was to be there to enjoy the music.
Then the music stopped, the guests left and so did the wedding party.

Outside a band played and the couple danced together to applause from the guests.

I left them lining up in the sun to have a group photo taken.