Wedding pictures! 07/08/09

On August 7 of 2009 Andrea and Andrew had their wedding at an historic location in the centre of Leipzig. There are several traditions that are unique to Germany and are quite different from Canada so it was interesting.
Andrea's brother was the chauffeur of the wedding car and wore a silk top hat. Andrew and I wore the working MacLeod tartan and John wore a dress Wallace tartan. The bride borrowed the veil that Ruth had handmade over 38 years ago. Ruth's sister Joan used it; then Marj MacLeod used it; then Angela Baggett, Jennifer Wallace, and now Andrea MacLeod have all used it.
When Imogen saw the two effigies made of straw on the doorstep, she immediately said, "Auntie, Uncle." The car decorations are held on with suction cups and the cars form a procession with a white ribbon tied on each car's antenna.

The little boy beside Imogen sitting on the grass is called Moritz and he is only one month apart from Imogen.

When we arrived at the restaurant for the reception, there was a tray with a goblet of water, a piece of bread and some salt on it. When Andrea and Andrew arrived a restaurant worker presented them the tray and gave a short speech on the significance of the three elements: The bread was to wish them prosperity so they would always have enough to eat; the salt was to represent the spice of life; and the water was to represent life itself. So Andrew put the salt on the bread and they each took a bite and sipped some 0f the water.

Next they were given a saw and had to cooperate in sawing a log in half. Andrea's mom and dad (Madeleine and Werner Hermann) steadied the log while Andrea and Andrew cut it in half.

It was a memorable occasion and one of the relatives even hired three pipers for the reception.