A Wedding in the French Countryside

L A S T  weekend it was my great pleasure to attend the wedding of two dear friends- Emily and Abebe. The wedding was held at Em's country house- of which I have heard, but never had the opportunity to visit. For years Emily had shared stories about curling up to read by the fireplace and hiking through the forest in this magical country world. Ancient stone houses and barns- surrounded by meadows and flowers and forests: The drive from the train station was enough to enchant me for the entire trip.

It was wonderful to finally experience this world and to share it with friends and family. Although I knew Emily's family I really did not know the other guests- though we soon became fast friends. All weekend we worked together to bring the wedding to fruition. As we picked wildflowers, hung garlands, made cream-puffs, and washed dishes we all got to know each other. There were people from all over the world- in the middle of as nowhere as you can get in France. Friends had made their way from Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, Ethiopia, Kentucky, Italy,  and South Korea. Emily and Abebe have such a fantastic spirit that they really bring together the best and kindest people on earth- not just for their wedding, but in daily life as well.

I have never laughed so much at a wedding in all of my life. After cocktails, the bride and groom joined all of the guests in sack races and games of tug-of-war. Even though I was one of the few English speakers- everyone was relaxed and I was able to interact. so many good vibes. I, of course, would never blog about any old wedding- but this one was so incredible and out-of-the-ordinary. It expressed so many beautiful emotions, and was such a great experience for me personally that I simply had to share it. Though every wedding has its share of stress, not many can manage to wrap you in the warmth of such incredible hospitality. We all left feeling loved and cared for. That is a great wedding.

Jonathan Randall Grant

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Culture Keeper