One of the most memorable moments we have enjoyed for ourselves while not on-tour in Provence was the "marriage a la campagne" of our dear friends Sophie and Jack in the heart of lavender country.
We stayed on their lavender farm in the guest house which was also being used to store the monumental quantities of cheese that would be consumed the next day. Talk about aromatic!
It was a memorable day beginning early in the morning with all of the preparations from separating confetti leaves by hand to folding napkins and all of the hustle and bustle of getting ready.
The first marriage ceremony took place in a beautiful little stone church high up amongst the lavender fields with the Mistral blowing great swirling drifts of confetti into the air.
Next Monsieur Le Mayor arrived resplendent in his tri-colour sash to perform the civil marriage ceremony that made the union official.
We were surrounded by Provencale country folk in traditional dress, laughing and joking all the while with shining eyes and warm hearts. As the sun shone down upon us amongst the swirling confetti and joyous faces, Robbi and I felt our hearts swell and we were so grateful to be in this merry throng.
The wedding party was photographed amongst a backdrop of undulating fields of fragrant lavender. What a glorious picture that made.
The reception was held in the huge distillery of their lavender farm which we helped decorate the day before the big event. The first of seven courses arrived and so began a celebration that lasted for 12 hours with nary a word of English but a veritable flood of the universal language of food and fellowship.
We danced and made merry, painted horses and suckling pigs came and went, the cheese was a triumph!
Complete in spirit and totally replete, we retired well into the wee small hours to dream of lavender and love. Those country folk sure know how to enjoy themselves.