Although w e got married in the registry office last Thursday, for us the big day was really our church weddin g yesterday in the Abbey at Maulbronn, Baden-Württemberg. We shared breakfast with family before Mrs W headed off to her niece’s place to get ready, while I showered and dressed in our hotel room. My best man, brother Simon, then led a convoy of three cars to the abbey.

We arrived in good time to find a small crowd of guests waiting outside.  Soon it was time to go inside, greet the pastor, and wait to see of Mrs W would turn up!

Sure enough at the appointed time, she swept into the ancient Klosterhof, the abbey grounds, in a gleaming black Mercedes 350SL sedan, driven by her younger son.

Then both her sons escorted her into the church to the strains of the wedding march by Haendel.

The lady pastor had taken a lot of time and trouble over the format of the service.  Partly in German and partly in English, we had chosen three hymns known to both nationalities, namely Praise to the Lord the Almighty, the King of Creation; Go Tell it on the Mountain; and Amazing Grace, in the hope that we’d make a decent sound for the rather large space we were in.  It worked and the addition of readings in both languages by close family members, and a thoughtful and highly apt bi-lingual “sermon” from the pastor, made the service perfect!

Then ha ving said "Ja" and "Yes" and exchanged rings for the second time in three days, we walked together proudly out of the church and into the bright sunlight – a good omen I’m sure for our future life together.

We were greeted by local people, from  Maulbronn, where Mrs W had lived for a number of years, and from Knittlingen, the twin town of Montejaque, where we now live, where she had worked for a long time. 

After official photos and a Sektempfang, champagne reception, near the abbey, we climbed aboard the wedding car for the 45-minute champagne drive back to Talheim for the family meal.

The excellent four-course meal at the Landgasthof Haigern interspersed with speeches from me and the best man and other wittier contributions from the German side (who ever said the Germans had no sense of humour?) and a few songs from my son, Tom, accompanied by his sister Amy and girlfriend Su, we segued into a mini-disco with rock and pop classics and some crazy dancing.

After a ni ghtcap back at the hotel, it was time for bed.

This morning it was a toss-up for who had the worst hangover between my new brother-in-law Egon, my daughter Amy and her boyfriend Paul, but they were all OK again by this evening!

It was a great day, a very happy day for all present, and the first day of the rest of my life ...

See also:

Wedding Album

© Paul Whitelock

www.a1-solutions-spain.com