Last weekend, I attended the wedding of a German and an Omani which was held at a small château owned by the Kuwaiti ambassador to France. You don’t get much more multi-cultural than that. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by a joyous celebration. During the cocktail, three buffet stations were set up in the garden, each with their own theme – there was the Provence table, the Southwest France table and the North Africa table – an idea that transferred over to the dinner options as well. It was original and delicious and wonderful to be around so many people of different nationalities.

But the sweetest part of the wedding, I think, was when the groom’s brothers gathered all willing guests to write little messages on pre-addressed postcards attached to red balloons in the shape hearts before releasing them into the air in the hopes that whoever would happen upon the balloon and/or the card, would send the card back to the newlyweds. The chances of them actually receiving one of these postcards are slim to none (and of course it doesn’t help that some of the balloons didn’t make it past the trees) but it was a sweet display of congratulations that guests, young and old, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, and undoubtedly other, could offer the couple. Though a very diverse group, we all bonded over something that is understood by all, no matter the race, creed or ethnicity…joy.