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Published: September 8th 2009
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The Wedding
As everyone knows there was a lot of preparation for this wedding … dress, shoes, bag and … a hat in hatbox that met Airbus overhead cabin storage requirements! The wedding was in Brou - not far from Chartres and a 1 ½ hour drive from Paris. I was to get a lift with a member of the family - Patrick - who was also picking up 2 high-school students who had to go to school on Saturday!! (Bet you’re glad that’s not you Doug?) We found each other easily enough and set off - about 1.45pm for a 3pm wedding! I still had to press my dress … do all the other bits … and most passengers in the car had yet to tog-up for the occasion … in fact one guy was still hemming his trousers … so … there was just a little pressure …
It took us 30 minutes to clear Paris then get on the auto-route. Auto-routes have a 130km speed limit. We saw that and more arriving at 2.30pm at the venue. There was a worldwind of air-kissing, exclamations, running around finding things, getting irons, and throwing it all together! I was 10
Yes! A conquest
Berengere and Hubert minutes late for the mass but not the last one in!
The service
The church was full and very colourful. Pink lilies graced the altars and tables, and the wedding party attendants wore white with blue trim. The guys were in charcoal grey tails with top hats and cornflower blue cravattes. There was a choir and various parts of the service were sung by all.
At the end the congregation spilled outside and the bride and groom came last standing on the steps and giving us some photo opportunities. Hubert and Berengere make an attractive couple and a nice photo! Soon after they were flanked by their parents who added more colour and movement as the cameras flashed.
The outfit
Now I just want to let you know that I think I held up the Australian end. I was in a dress and hat deemed to be “correct’! So thanks to all who helped with the agonizing over what to wear, to hat or not to hat etc … There were a range of hats to be sure … not many black ones though. Mostly they were colourful and to that end Marie-Helene (mother of the groom) played her
part with the brightest one! It was purple and orange - in 2 halves. The top being orange the lower part purple and in the shape of 2 turned out saucers I think. She did say everyone was calling her a toucan …
The cocktail party
Some old-fashioned horns sounded as we were called to the ‘cocktail’ part of the event. A short walk from the church took us through to the grounds surrounding the chateau. First we stopped to convey our best wishes to the bride and groom (one by one) before moving on to a place where tables were set up serving canapés and champagne. There were probably other drinks … but I didn’t really notice! The food was amazing. There were served in small dishes: ramekins with mussels in a sauce, an egg dish (like scrambled eggs) served in egg shells with a small spoon, baby spicy sausages, foie gras in a small glass with other ingredients, platters of strawberries, grapes and other fruits, and ice-cream scoops! The champagne flowed, people mingled and I sought out familiar faces.
I met lots of people - new and familiar - including someone from the strategy team in
a large law firm in Paris! Worry-not there are no jobs going … they are losing staff! There were some who did not remember me - others who did. It was all very friendly and warm.
Following this we were summoned to dinner in the Orangerie by the little girls from the wedding party who ran through the groups of people ringing little balls and calling “
a table”. Once again we were mobilized (me thinking … more food?) and people meandered up the slope through the gardens to the long narrow former Orangerie.
The dinner
At dinner we were all seated at tables that corresponded with places of importance to Hubert and Berengere for holidays, childhood or their friendship/romance. I sat on the Plupardiere table. The Plupardiere is in Seaumur, the home of Oncle Henri and Tante Therese and where Hubert spent many a holiday and where I celebrated Christmas in 1991.
Shortly after settling in there was movement as everyone started cheering and waving their serviettes in the air. The bride and groom came dashing across the courtyard and into the reception area where the cheering intensified as they did a tour of the room in and around the
tables. This created great commotion and excitement to set the event going.
Immediately as everyone sat, the parents and siblings of the bride and groom took positions behind a set of microphones. We were welcomed to the occasion and went straight into speeches which were short, to the point and contributed by both families. They covered the usual territory and referred to events that led to Berengere and Hubert together. They also acknowledged me and my presence having come all the way from Australie ... to which the whole room applauded! Wouldn’t want to be a shrinking violet!
Once over, we focused on the food and getting to know each other. Three courses were served:
Fireworks
After this we were summoned outside for coffee and fireworks! They are not well captured in pictures here but it was quite a spectacle and well accompanied by lots of “ooohs” and “aaahhs”. Back inside tables had been cleared for the dance floor to come into its own. There was a quick slide show of bride and groom before marriage - with amusing images of them at themed parties, sailing and the like. This didn’t last long because everyone seemed very keen to
get on the dance floor - led by the married couple and their parents in the bridal waltz. After that though - it was full on - people spinning and swinging. Then more food was brought out and the spirits were served. I crashed about 1am but the real stayers went until about 4am. At one stage there were about 10 boy cousins all on a stage dancing to techno music. I think even the kids partied on later than me!
Lunch the following day
Brunch/lunch the following day was relaxed. Bubbles flowed again, and there was a buffet of cold meats and salad. People arrived in dribs and drabs and we all sat around sunning ourselves and chatting. It was a nice way to end the event and to wish Hubert and Berengere well on the way to a holiday in Bali!
So was it worth it? You bet! Just to be among these people who are like my French family was great. To speak French and be understood … and recapture a little part of my experience all those years ago … and add new memories to my very good souvenirs of France! Yes absolutely worth it!
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Helen Bird
non-member comment
Grand
Ah Mary! It was over so quickly but I am so glad you got there. The cravates worn by the groom's party were an interesting touch. Hubert is the splitting image of his father, n'est pas? Helen