Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

We're not in Brittany anymore, Toto

Now that I've recovered from practically robbing the cradle, I can talk more about the wedding. The actual marriage ceremony took place in the mairie of the 5ème in Paris, and only took about 10 minutes - though then again, we were fashionably late, so maybe it really lasted longer, lol. Seriously, only I would be late to a wedding, cuz I'm that classy.

Afterwards, Yuri and I kind of hung around awkwardly while a couple of photographers walked around photographing pretty much everyone but us. And then we made our way to the Cercle Nationale des Armées (read: really fancy army building) for the vin d'honneur. We almost got rejected from the bus ride over there, until the groom's mother finally deemed us worthy of boarding (ie. all the guests were on and there was enough room for us).

I wasn't really sure what a vin d'honneur was, but it pretty much involved everyone standing around in a fancy reception hall eating hors-d'oeuvres and drinking champagne. Again, Yuri and I were rebuffed by the groom's mother. We were starting to feel really out of place and unwelcome. But then a short while later, she came up and was suddenly all friendly. Either it was the champagne she'd been drinking, or it's a requirement that all French MIL's have to be bipolar.

It was so strange though to be surrounded by people with so much old money. It's not something I've ever been exposed to, coming from small-town Minnesota and all. Apparently the groom's father is/was really high up in the army, so there were a lot of current & ex-military men there, along with some of the "grandes familles" of Paris. But it was interesting to see what an importance everyone's family name held, and how they all judged each other by it.

Around 2pm, Yuri and I snuck out in order to go visit Paris a little and make a trip to the Japanese quartier. I happened to change into a different dress before going back(mostly because I felt like my boobs were hanging out and everyone else was so covered up) - and we showed up to the dinner to discover that everyone else had changed too, only into even dressier clothes. So I did things totally backwards - I should've worn the second dress to the wedding and the booby dress to the dinner/dance. But oh well, bourgeoise I am definitely not.

The meal was really tasty, though it was kind of weird that all of the dishes were fish-based. What was funny was the guy next to me was like "What? There's no meat!" Cuz in France, fish does not count as meat. Go figure. The meal was good though, and then they brought out the traditional flaming pièce montée (pretty much a big pile of cream puffs), along with a bunch of other desserts that I didn't have room for. Quel dommage. And then I danced the night away, drinking champagne until almost 5am when I found myself zooming across Paris in taxi, slightly buzzed, coming home just in time to watch the sun start to rise over the city.

Talk about surreal.

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14 Comments:

Blogger MilkJam said...

sounds like fun! totally different world but hey something new and different is always exciting. :-)

June 3, 2008 at 8:47 AM  
Blogger Syd said...

So all the wealthy socialites were wearing 'booby dresses' for dinner? LMAO. Is that a technical term?

June 3, 2008 at 10:42 AM  
Blogger The Late Bloomer said...

Well, your second dress must have been pretty fetching, even if it wasn't "booby", as you had that boy keeping his eyes on you all night long! ;-)

Sounds like great fun, all that dancing and chamgagne (I'm missing the champagne -- but even more so the red wine! -- these days)... I've always had a hard time fitting in with these kinds of crowds too, though, and somehow I just know I wasn't cut out for the bourgeoisie. In times like this, all I can think is that I want to get back home to lay around doing pretty much nothing with my boy! I'm such a pantouflarde...

June 3, 2008 at 11:45 AM  
Blogger The Late Bloomer said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

June 3, 2008 at 11:45 AM  
Blogger L said...

hahahah! I love the booby dress description!

June 3, 2008 at 11:51 AM  
Blogger Alison said...

I'm with The Bold Soul. Whose wedding was it?

June 3, 2008 at 2:27 PM  
Blogger Ksam said...

it was an (american) friend's wedding...it's starting to look like i just don't have much luck with french MIL's!

June 3, 2008 at 2:42 PM  
Blogger corine said...

Magnifique!

June 3, 2008 at 3:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That could be a life :-)

June 3, 2008 at 4:04 PM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

June 3, 2008 at 4:46 PM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

I think if I was handed LOTS and LOTS of money... I'd try to be bourgie for awhile..'til I tired of it.. I know you have to be of old wealth and high status.. but I'd just play it off just like the actor in "Jet Set," I'm from Hollywood, after all, Dahhhling... I'd even try to get the nasaly sounding accent in, too.. Just for kicks!! Honest, I don't think I'd feel right unless I had lots of nice clothes- like then and a good hair cut/manicure.... With those things, I'd accomplish it ALL, baby... Hehehehheeh!! Just joking, of course!!

June 3, 2008 at 4:48 PM  
Blogger christine said...

What no "dance des canards?" Sounds like it was fun anyway.

June 3, 2008 at 5:44 PM  
Blogger Justin said...

Sounds like a great night, and an incredible experience. I have never been to a French wedding of any kind so I could only imagine what it would be like.

June 3, 2008 at 6:06 PM  
Blogger KathyMac said...

ha ha. i heard simon and garfunkle's "mrs robinson" song today in the café. i thought of you! :)

June 3, 2008 at 7:56 PM  

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