The Dordogne was the launchpad to our summer holiday this year and while its verdant rolling hills, winding rivers and rich regional fare are reasons enough to explore the area, our visit was largely sentimental.
My husband’s former colleague, insatiable traveler-friend and matchmaker – the man responsible for introducing us – was preparing to embark on his own love story with an Australian woman he became smitten with during a trip to Vietnam. His was to be the latest in an array of multi-cultural nuptials we’ve attended in the last several years. I always look forward to these weddings because not only do they share an air of my own experience – in-laws who can’t communicate with words but convey warmth in ebullient expressions and kind gestures, guests who fly in from all over the world, poignant toasts from loved ones – but blend cultural traditions that keep things interesting.
Eighty-some guests were encouraged to loaf about in 1,000m² of living space (12 rooms, can sleep up to 29 people!) and spend time wandering the 12 acres of land – complete with a pool, tennis court and fruit orchard. Beyond the sheer grandeur of the Château and its amenities, we were moved by the warmth of both families, who conveyed their sincere gratitude to each guest for having touched their children’s lives in some way. As the bride’s family shared their impressions of France during this first visit, the memory of my own father’s experience discovering my adopted country for the very first time came careening to mind.
That and the threat posed by the wedding day’s blackening clouds, fierce winds and precipitous drop in temperature. At our own ceremony, we were greeted with menacing skies and drizzle but exited to blinding sunshine as newlyweds. Here, the weather remained capricious right up to the couple’s first stroll as husband and wife, when the skies reverted to a crisp blue and the sun poked through vaporous clouds. The showers finally came during the cocktail hour and, to be sure, brought with them good luck. As the French so wisely say, un mariage pluvieux, un mariage heureux.
Wishing our personal cupid a lifetime of happiness, whether life keeps him in Australia or closer to home!
