Weddings

"And now that you have left it is warm and raining and the snow is almost completely melted away! lol" a commenter says.

Of course it is. I expect that weather in the entire northern hemisphere will now go back to its usual winter stuff, and will only suck in Alberta. Ah well. Back to our story.

In the Ukraine, a groom has to win his bride. There are questions and he must answer correctly.

Here are 3 pairs of shoes. Which are the brides?

You must serenade the bride with her favourite song. Hmmm. What was that song again?

Then there were three ribbons under the bride's door. The bride is holding one of them. The groom must choose the right ribbon. The picture of this did not turn out,

but even so, the groom wins his bride and helps her put on her shoes.

After a few wintery adventures, the whole party arrives at the marriage bureau and things are done.

Mr. and Mrs.

Then on to the feast.

This was only the very beginning. The tables groaned with food before the evening was done. Instead of the North American custom of eat, toast and then dance, they do it much smarter. Eat a little, toast a lot, dance even more, and repeat through the whole evening. There were hijinks

in between and feasting and dancing

and drinking and it was all a lot of fun. I have never ever drank so much in an evening without feeling even the mildest of having had too much, and I was left only with an odd sort of fragile feeling the next day.

It was wonderful. I wish everyone could have been there, and I am so very glad we went. Mr. Needles and I wish them both everything in the world from the bottom of our hearts.