Matt and Anya’s Wedding

The big day arrived on June 23rd. The week before the weather had been awful for June, cold and wet, but the sun came out to shine on Matt and Anya. They had hired the function area of an hotel on the hillside overlooking Heidelberg. I arrived at 10:30 for a 14:00 wedding. I got the bus from the campsite at 9:23 and then the funicular to the hotel. I had a make-up appointment at 10:30 and buses are infrequent on a Sunday. I’d had a hair trial back home and she convinced me not to have my hair put up, so I went armed with photos of hair we agreed. The hair stylist said no, put it up, so up it went and I rather liked it. Also my fears of over doing the makeup where unfounded, she did a good job, but wow, so expensive. Prior to coming I had my nails painted (hands and toes), eyebrows and eyelashes dyed. It’s taken me to the age of 60 to try these things and all I will say is NEVER again, nature knows how to look after things. I’d also lowered my feminist standards and shaved my armpits and legs. So makeup and hair done, I left Anya with her mum and Aunty and went to the function room. Matt was in a bit of a panic, he hadn’t heard from the cake people for over 2 weeks, despite emailing them and no cake was to be found. He phoned them, and emailed no answer! A back up plan was in place, cake shops are one of the few shops open in Germany on a Sunday. Then the baker rang, it was on it’s way, why all the panic. Beautiful cake it was as well. I set up the projector at Matts request, the sound system was tried. It was all systems go. Now as the mother do you sit on the front row? I didn’t I left room for the bridesmaid and groom to sit, damn we had an empty row in front of us. I felt such an idiot. All seated, out on the terrace with the beautiful tree covered hills and Heidelberg in front of us, Matthew walked the isle with his life long friend Lewis and took their places. Lewis stood at the front, dark suit, sun glasses, he looked like a minder. The singer sang “can you feel the love tonight” from the Lion King, very Matthew. Andrey did the intro and then Anya walked the aisle to “I can’t help falling in love with you” flanked by her father in a green suit and her bridesmaid Vika in a pink floral dress. Matthew hugged Alexander (Anya’s father) then with a big grin took the hands of Anya. Andrey explained this celebration was where Matthew and Anya made their vows in front of the people that mattered to them, they had done the legal bit 2 months ago, but here they would be witnessed by friends, all of who had a special role in their lives. He also explained how they managed to meet despite coming from rural villages at the opposite sides of Europe. They made vows that were more normal to your ears, Anya in English and Matt in Russian, and then they made up promises, these were lovely, Matts in Russian, Anya’s in English. Breakfast features in these promises a lot. These are posted below and as pictures in this blog. Andrey struggled to keep the service going as he was crying. Andrey by the way is a friend and it was the first time he had led a service. Matt and Anya walked back down the aisle in a shower of flower petals from 6 bunches of roses, purchased the day before. John spent the time I was having makeup done plucking the petals. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres awaited us on the other side of the terrace. Matthew and Anya had arranged some “games” to complete, guess the person who has this interesting fact, and sign the photo album of their life together. After photos came the cake,huge slices were handed out first to the parents and then to all the guests. Also the bread and salt ritual was completed, a russian ritual. Lewis entertained us with three tunes on his trumpet, a russian dance, an english planet tune and the song of Heidleberg. At 17:00 we started the meal which was served indoors in the room of mirrors. Between each course were quizzes. The first quiz “embarrass the parents” where we had to guess which child was , in our case, Anya , identify the PhD title and one fact that we didn’t know about them. The a general knowledge quiz with a definite astrophysical theme, that also drew of difference in cultures. Strangely the table that had professors of a mix of nationalities won. The meal took about 4.5 hours with all the breaks. Oh also everyone was free to give speeches, not many did, both set of parents started. Alexander and Tatiana giving theirs in English, amazing English. John and I gave ours in Russian and English. I don’t know how much effort Tatiana and Alexander put in, but we had 6.5 hours of on line lessons with a Russian in Moscow to prepare that speech (if you want Russian lessons I really recommend her) and practised it every day for 7 weeks. After the meal came the dancing, by now it was late and many people were drifting away. At about midnight, John and I bid our farewell taking a taxi home, John argued that 1.5 hours walk was not on at that time of night, and we were laden with beautiful flowers from the wedding.

Matthew’s Vows

Anya, since we’ve been together, I feel that I’m not complete without you. You make me the luckiest man in the world. I love your smile and I love your eyes. I love the knowledge that whenever I need you, you will be with me.

I love how you see the beauty in the world around us — peacocks, baby birds, or snails. The joy that you take from the world around you is contagious. Our photo album is full of pictures from the wonderful places that you’ve taken me, and I can’t wait to see the rest of the world with you.

That’s why I promise to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to look into your eyes every morning and tell you how beautiful you are. And then I promise to make you breakfast every day.

Most of all, I promise to be with you, always and for ever. I love you.