A Wedding with Heart - A Weekend
Celebration in Bavaria
Johanna Kaestner
Photography: Guests
Note: Please click on pictures!
 In
May 2003 we received an invitation to our niece's wedding; it was a small
booklet and looked like a
brochure for a seminar describing the wedding weekend in stilted legal language.
No wonder: bride and groom work in the juridical system. It took us quite some time until we figured out the details. Another information folder awaited us in
the hotel, containing the weekend itinerary and maps.
Bettina and Alexander envisioned their wedding as a fun celebration together
with their family and friends, a celebration in which heart and joy played the
major part. Bettina's immediate family literally lives all over the world, but
almost all the relatives were able to come, meet the groom, and enjoy the
festive, yet relaxed atmosphere.
The couple picked the conference hotel
Aurachhof in Fischbachau, which they knew from other meetings. The quiet,
lovely hotel has an extremely friendly and capable director, accommodating
staff, and offers delicious, creative food.
The Wedding Weekend:
Saturday 3:00 p.m.
The guests and the groom gathered in the courtyard of the old cloister, now the
city hall of Fischbachau. The bride and her parents arrived in a typical
Bavarian carriage.
The civil wedding ceremony took place in the beautiful former cloister's
refectorium. The music was provided by Alexander's sister and her classical
trio.
A champagne reception immediately followed the ceremony. As a memento each guest
received a champagne glass engraved with Bettina's and Alexander's names and their wedding
date. The couple and the witnesses returned with the carriage to the hotel.
Late Afternoon:
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Coffee and
cake were served in Aurachhof's garden
while Bettina and Alexander introduced
their families and friends. |
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When time
came to return inside, a large, framed
canvas with a big red heart
barred the entrance. Scissors were provided
and the newly weds were asked to cut out
the heart. |
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Finally
Alexander could carry Bettina through the
opening into the hotel. |
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Evening |
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Aperitifs
were served outside, followed by a
multi-course dinner in the festive
reception hall of the hotel. A collage
with photos of the guests made it easy to
find the right table. Each course was so
plentiful, that the breaks for speeches
and customized songs from Bettina's uncles
and friends were very welcome. Then a
friend presented a cookbook with recipes
he had collected from most of the guests.
(Several recipes from "Cooking for
Couples" were included.) |
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The first dance
was a Viennese Waltz; Alexander and
Bettina danced so beautifully that it was
a joy to watch them.
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The
last events of the day were the cake
cutting and a slide show of
Alexander's life presented by his mother
and sister. The band played until 2:30 in
the morning, a few die-hards stayed up
until the wee hours of the morning. |
Sunday |
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After a hearty breakfast we prepared for the
day's events. Bettina and Alexander, avid hikers and art fans, had organized a
tour at the Rococo
 pilgrimage chapel in Birkenstein.
From
there
we could choose among three different hikes. The lack of sleep took its toll,
and most of the guests preferred the easy stroll to the shady Biergarten
(garden restaurant) close by. The most ambitious hikers, the newly-weds
included, climbed about 2,400 feet to the top of the Breitenstein.
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In late afternoon we gathered at Aurachhof's garden again, enjoying the last of
the wedding cake before saying farewell.
This was one of the best weddings I attended. Well organized by Bettina and
Alexander, it had a natural flow and was so joyful and relaxed. There was
so much laughter and good discussion; I am certain this wedding celebration
will stay in our hearts forever.
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