A Cousin's Wedding

Last weekend we travelled right back up to Calvinet after yanking the girls out of school for a 1/2 day to be part of a wonderful weekend, the wedding of Thomas' cousin Malou (Marie-Helene).

 Manou making crepes!  Such perfection.

 The eve of the wedding:  floral workshop with Thomas' cousin Marthe, making all the headcrowns, boutiniers, arm bands, etc. 

 This is Estelle's drawing of Malou & Erwan.  Totally her idea.

 Erwan knocked on the door and asked for a glass of water as he walked, alone, down to city hall.  This cracked me up.

 Getting ready to walk down into the village for the 2 p.m. start at the Mairie (city hall).

 The bride arrives, driven by her brother-in-law, Gerau.  Daniel, brother to the bride, was unexpectedly not with us as his newborn 8-day-old baby had to be flown by helicopter the night before to Clermont-Ferrand for emergency surgery for a twisted intestine or something.  He's ok now.

 Malou, the bride, and her father, Uncle Riri, in the black hat.  He had just been released himself from the hospital a few days before, and will soon be back in for abdominal operations.  Poor guy.

 2nd cousins.

 With Annaelle, 2nd cousin to my girls and niece to the bride.  She was 3 weeks old at our wedding in Angers.

 I just couldn't resist.

 Malou's friend is a costume-maker at the Paris Opera.  She made this dress for Malou!  Amazing!

 Walking from City Hall to the church.  Stop at Tata Josette's for a stop in the shade.

 Now at the church.  This is where Léna was baptised, as well as Thomas & his sister and where my in-laws were married.

 As they are both actors, they had lots of friends to sing at their wedding.  They sang Here Comes the Sun, which surprised me!

 Adoration of the Virgin Mary, which is often part of the ceremony.

 That little boy with his hands on his hips in the front is Thomas, older brother to the baby who was helicoptered off.  He was good as gold under the guidance of all his aunts all weekend.  So cute.

 Estelle got a tongue-lashing from me after this photo shoot for acting like she was on the set of a Madonna video.

After throwing lavendar on the bride and groom, we went back home, grab our bags and off we drove over an hour north to this lovely spot, Saint Eulalie de something or other.

 There was an organ grinder.  This is something Erwan does too.

 The site of this wedding was STUNNING.

 Agnes looking like a Paris star!

 Agnes, Francoise (Malou's sister, Annaelle's mother) Thomas and Gerau, Francoise' husband.

 Meanwhile, I think the whole valley heard Léna's scream when she saw this:

 The above table was like Willy Wonka heaven.  There were bags and you could just fill up whatever you wanted.  Scandalous!  Everytime I couldn't find Léna, this is where she was with her cheeks full like a squirrel.

 Erwan with his parents and Francoise with Malou, Riri and Aster, their older sister.  (Missing is Daniel).  Toroawq their mother passed away a few years ago.  Riri was a veterinarian research doctor for the French government in Africa for 30 years, which is where he met Toroawq and where all the children were born.

 Marthe and her son Aubin.  On the ground you see the flower boxes which Guy built himself.  Like 20 of them which were the centerpieces on the tables.

 Many of us had rooms upstairs.

 I never got a photo of the top floor which was all for the kids, complete with babysitter and activities.

 The newlyweds had many friends who performed skits.

 This was appreciated by everyone!  You can see the fireplace of this room behind Malou.

 

 Too bad I didn't photograph all the food.  But here's the cakes!

 A happy bride with a PERFECT wedding and perfect weather, albeit Daniel not being there.

 Next day brunch:  First there was breakfast served for the "early risers".  i.e. Lena and the rest of us.

 Estelle decided she needed to many the cereal table:

 Meanwhile:  previous night's damage....

 It was hard to leave after brunch:

 Everyone brunched and brunched and brunched.  There were 2 more waves of food, it was so yummy!  I never got a photo of the 9-person band which rocked the house until 6 a.m. - yes, 6 a.m.  I would know because even with earplugs I could hear them from my room as if they were IN my room.  The band was fantastic.  No one wanted to stop dancing!

 This guy was back.  He was great!

 Such a beautiful spot.

 Complete with jacuzzi and hamman and sauna!

 "Little" cousins....

 It's like it was following me:

 This car below literally WAS following us:  it's the "broom" car, mandatory at all weddings, usually driven by the best man, to bring up the rear of the convoy of cars going to the reception.  Always must be decorated with a broom.  You see them all over France on Saturdays, racing along, honking with usually a passle of good-looking well-dressed guys in them.  Love it.

 Leaving for our 9-hour drive back to Nice.  The Volcanoes of the Auvergne. 

 Such a lovely weekend.