WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND ?

Helps you to remember what you have done on the weekend of August 17 . If you participate please put the little logo on the top of your post and leave your link.

The highlight of the weekend was our son's wedding in Amsterdam !



I had used all my imagination to make a nice envelope for the wedding gift basket.

The trip to Amsterdam went smooth and we were already there around 11 am. We first stopped at my son's for a coffee, took his friend from Switzerland along and went to the Bed and Breakfast where they had booked in all friends with kids coming from abroad.



We had a beautiful huge room all in wood !

As the parking fees in Amsterdam are so expensive we all decided to take a taxi. The owner called for 3, no van was available. And then the nightmare began. All streets to Amsterdam center were blocked by a huge traffic jam because two bridges were closed for work. We all thought we would never make it, but we arrived finally with only 5 min late for the ceremony which should have begun at 3 pm. As the others had the same problem, even the groom and the bride, we recovered from being nervous wrecks !



And then began a big surprise for all of us. Nobody had ever attended to such a funny, cool wedding ceremony. The female marriage registrar greeted us on the street and comforted us that it didn't matter at all that we were a little late. Groom and bride made their entrance and we were sitting all around, the kids waving with balloons and the adults joking ! Toby their son had decided to sit besides his parents, but then preferred to sit on grandma's lap.



Then the wedding registrar started her official speech and took one little girl on her lap, because the little one had decided so ! Of course that made us all laugh again. Toby handed the wedding bands over to his parents and did a real good job.



The book was signed and the joyful ceremony was over and the new weds drove away to a restaurant at a habour where the wedding reception took place. Toby waved to the crowd. We drove together with Marieken's mother and her partner to the reception, the others followed by taxi.



The place was beautiful and called "The lighthouse" very close to the sea. After drinks and snacks we had a wonderful barbecue. Toby had taken his shoes off so I had given him mine, but he only did a few steps before he stepped out !

Then started the speeches ! Marieken's mother had prepared a nice long speech, but unfortunately there was no microphone so we could hardly hear her and she held it in Dutch because she said her English wasn't good enough, and the majority didn't understand a word. They started to whisper and talk to each other which was understandable but it was rather sad  because she certainly had put a lot of effort to make this speech.

I hadn't prepared any speech, I also had no intention  to make one, but then suddenly I thought why not, after all he is only marrying once, so I also made a short speech, with my loudest voice, which worked rather well, as I am used to speak loud, being married to an Italian with an Opera voice.  Then the Marieken's wedding witnesses made a speech too this time in English, but also hardly understandable for the once staying behind. After that Dario's best friend talked and then Dario himself.

Then everybody was hungry and "attacked" the buffet !



They had hired a girl who entertained the children, there were certainly about 15 or more from 2 years to 12 ! All speaking different languages, French, Dutch, and English, but no problem with communication !



and here we are the proud parents with the freshly married couple !



My son's godmother had come with us and above you see the gift box. The Swiss friend had brought an enormous bottle of sparkling wine, with a label with their names ! Very special !



The evening began



and the couple opened the dancing part of the wedding. Even Mr. G. gathered his old bones and we danced too ! But only once with me. After that I continued to dance, with the result that my legs still hurt a little today ! His friend from preschool (they were both 3) mixed the music and did the disc jokey. Little Ollie, who had sat on the registrar's lap slept peacefully besides him despite the loud music, she probably was tired having married a young couple !

We left around 11 pm quiet tired and returned to our Bed and Breakfast, while the young people celebrated until 1 am and some of them even in another place until 3 am ! I know that because at that time somebody had sneaked into our room, looking for his wife ! Of  course they looked a little withered when they showed up for the brunch the next morning !



When I got up I was already expected by Dookie the dog who wanted to play. It was a wonderful sunny morning and we had the whole Bed & Breakfast for us.



The kids were playing and jumping around and at 11 am the young couple arrived for the brunch. Toby wanted to share his croissant with the dog, but Dookie misunderstood and ate it all !



Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture when we were all around the table. It was such a huge room and there was also a big kitchen. We had such a lot of fun and childhood memories were shared.

I can only say it was the perfect marriage !