Today was another learning exercise here in Le Bourg Dun. A young lad we know from the bar was getting married and we thought we'd go along to see the wedding. Over here you start off at the Marie first for the civil paperwork, which is just down the road from the church, so everyone walked in procession to the church where we were waiting with our cameras poised.
Martial, the temoin (best man) was at the head of the parade with Aurelien - the groom - followed by Melamie - the bride carrying the 10-month old baby. As Melamie came level with us, however, she turned to say something to Beatrice behind her, and she was definitely not happy with the result. In fact, livid would be a bit of an understatement - not the happy face you expect to see on a bride. Then she disappeared back up the road again to the Marie.
Seeing Carole in the crowd, we asked what was going on and learned that one of the two wedding rings had got lost in the parade down from the Marie! Luckily Melamie returned and seemed happier (though obviously still seething - that's someone I wouldn't want to cross, she's scary. Beatrice, who was in charge of carrying the rings on the cushion said she hadn't realised that they were sitting on the cushion, but thought they were in the ring boxes (at least that's what I think she said).
This camera of ours, a Creative VadoHD, is useless in sunlight. I can't tell whether I'm running the video or not because the sunshine reflects off the screen, but I hope I got Martial entering the church - something he swore he would never do, do it shows the affection he has for Aurelien.
Once they'd all gone into the church we went down to the beach for an ice cream to wait for them to come out again, which would be some time yet, since Carole had told us they were going to have their daughter's baptism immediately after the wedding. Only in Catholic France!
We got some photos but then left since, as with any wedding, there was lots of milling around without much going on. I had wanted to wait to film the procession back up the road to the first reception which was drinks etc in a marquee near the Mairie. The French have two receptions, drinks etc immediately after the wedding, then later the dinner. Their dinner is being held next door to us, in the Salle Rene Prouin, the salle de fete of Bourg Dun.
Last thing today was supposws to be the fireworks display at St Aubin, but unfortunately we forgot until it was too late. As we were getting in the car to go down and see what was going on, we heard what must have been the finale, because we saw nothing more en route, and the number of cars coming up from the beach seemed to imply that it was all over. Tant pis.
I wonder what tomorrow will hold?
Martial, the temoin (best man) was at the head of the parade with Aurelien - the groom - followed by Melamie - the bride carrying the 10-month old baby. As Melamie came level with us, however, she turned to say something to Beatrice behind her, and she was definitely not happy with the result. In fact, livid would be a bit of an understatement - not the happy face you expect to see on a bride. Then she disappeared back up the road again to the Marie.
Seeing Carole in the crowd, we asked what was going on and learned that one of the two wedding rings had got lost in the parade down from the Marie! Luckily Melamie returned and seemed happier (though obviously still seething - that's someone I wouldn't want to cross, she's scary. Beatrice, who was in charge of carrying the rings on the cushion said she hadn't realised that they were sitting on the cushion, but thought they were in the ring boxes (at least that's what I think she said).
This camera of ours, a Creative VadoHD, is useless in sunlight. I can't tell whether I'm running the video or not because the sunshine reflects off the screen, but I hope I got Martial entering the church - something he swore he would never do, do it shows the affection he has for Aurelien.
Once they'd all gone into the church we went down to the beach for an ice cream to wait for them to come out again, which would be some time yet, since Carole had told us they were going to have their daughter's baptism immediately after the wedding. Only in Catholic France!
We got some photos but then left since, as with any wedding, there was lots of milling around without much going on. I had wanted to wait to film the procession back up the road to the first reception which was drinks etc in a marquee near the Mairie. The French have two receptions, drinks etc immediately after the wedding, then later the dinner. Their dinner is being held next door to us, in the Salle Rene Prouin, the salle de fete of Bourg Dun.
Last thing today was supposws to be the fireworks display at St Aubin, but unfortunately we forgot until it was too late. As we were getting in the car to go down and see what was going on, we heard what must have been the finale, because we saw nothing more en route, and the number of cars coming up from the beach seemed to imply that it was all over. Tant pis.
I wonder what tomorrow will hold?
I have to say I approve of the almost Scottish money saving idea of combining a wedding with a baptism. (The last baptism I attended was odd: the ceremony was in a high Anglican church; the mother was Wiccan, the father atheist, the God parents were an agnostic and a lapsed C of E verger. Only in England!)
ReplyDeleteI think you need to get a couple of photos up showing the wedding, despite the camera problems. I know what the village looks like, but I think the rest of the blogosphere should be shown how compact the place is, making the loss of the ring even more inexplicable.
Vive la blog francais!