End of the night..

I noticed that in the US, reception halls don't allow to stay past 10 or 11pm. That was something Horrible for french people. We need more time as dinner ends around 10 to 11pm! So no need to have an After Party. We were allowed to stay until 2am, time at which we had to leave the room, but could stay outside if we wanted. But  somehow, the DJ didn't stop playing until 3am, which means that we probably didn't leave before 3:20am and some guests maybe 3:30 (I doubt people stayed any longer). Anyway, this is absolutely impossible in most American Hotels (unless you pay good money), and it is totally customary in France. Also, there is no Send Off or things like that, so we don't have to leave before our guests do... we can stay as long as we want! 

We had such a blast... eating till 10pm, dancing until 3am with Champagne and macarons... heaven!

Rich's Only Requirement

The Groom helped a LOT in the wedding planning. You can't believe how lucky I was. He helped with all of the stationary, designing, printing, cutting, sticking... he also took me for all my fittings, fabric shopping, choosing my veil, helping with the music, choosing the readings for the ceremony, carrying flowers... and the list goes on. 

There was only 1 thing he really wanted: CUBAN CIGARS. France doesn't have an embargo against Cuba, so we could find Cuban cigars pretty easily. That was his main quest the morning of the wedding. He got some nice cigars for 1.10 euros... and you can't believe how happy he was. 

France is now starting to ban smoking in bars, clubs, reception halls (started in February) but it is still permitted to smoke outside (without the 10/20 feet away sign). As the room was connected with outside, Rich took all the guys (and some girls) to smoke the traditional cigar. 

Dancing all night

We could actually stay at the reception site until 2am... way enough time to enjoy the party and dance all night!

As crazy as it sounds, Rich started it!

Ok, I didn't do a Do NOT play list... and we ended up with the Macarena, which happened be have been asked by one of the guests... oh well... people seemed to have enjoyed it, as long as they were happy and dancing!

First Dance...

After desert, came coffee... here is where the reception people messed up. We were supposed to have coffee in another room for them to have time to move the 3 tables as we had decided on earlier... to make room for the dance floor. But they forgot! We never left for coffee, they served coffee at the table. 

That confusion meant that they weren't able to remove the 3 tables as planned, but only 1. Meaning that instead of having a rectangle to dance in (we had asked that because earlier that week, we went there and tried a couple moves to see how much room was needed)... we ended up with a T shape! Try to do a foxtrot in a T!!! Impossible. The moves are done on straight lines, not in corners! So we had to go practice a little and reorganize our first dance. 

We started of all right, but then we forgot our plan, and Rich had to think of what to do next in the little room we had. Poor him, I felt bad. But we managed (no one saw what we did wrong)... people were impressed, and we enjoyed it.

We didn't want to be the center of attention for 4 full minutes, so after a couple minutes, we asked our parents and family to join in.

On top of having a first dance, we ended up having 2 first dances. At some point, there was no one on the dance floor, and I didn't want that to happen. So I dragged Rich for a West Coast Swing... and instead of motivating people to join us, they just looked at us dancing... 2nd first dance!

Then the dancing started, and it was a lot of fun. 

Cake Time

After the speeches, I had asked the reception hall to bring out the cake (the cake was displayed before dinner, and they put it back in the fridge because of the buttercream)... so we could cut it. We decided to do it then, because it is after dinner (didn't want to cut the cake before, cake is desert, not appetizers!) and the cooks were going to cut everyone a slice and put it in the desert plate. It is an american tradition which I thought would be nice for the french guests to see. 

No cake in the face.. that was the rule. (Also, French guests did't know about the feed each other custom, and we didn't want to teach them the smashing custom!)

After cutting the cake, the wedding party had made a slideshow of pictures of us since we were little. Really cute! We both discovered a lot of pictures of each other we had never seen before!

Dessert: Fraises de Plougastel, tuile, et glace vanille + my cake which looked and tasted awesome!

Speeches

My dad made his speech before dinner. He wanted to start to welcome everyone. He did his speech both in French and English.

Then it was Rich's dad's speech after the cheese and before the desert. The reception hall didn't want any speeches to be done between hot courses because it was hard for them to know when to fire up the dish and keep it warm. So we were allowed for a break before the meal, then once we started we couldn't interrupt dinner until cheese was served. My sister was the "official" translator for the French part of Rich's dad speech.

Then the Best man and the maid of honor followed both helped by my mom for the French part.

Time for food!!!

Entree: Foie Gras

Plat Principal: Duo de Fillet Mignon

Fromage

For Dessert, you will have to wait a little... now it time for toasts and speeches!

Dinner starts...

After cocktail, the guests all settled down at their tables.

Here the room all ready before the guests came in...

The table of honor, ours ;-)

The ladies don't eat with their hats on, so when they came in there were coat hangers to hang their hats for dinner, which made a pretty arrangement of colors and shapes.

Rich and I had to wait a little bit before coming in, so we walked around the cocktail area patiently... before it was time.

No announcement, no special song, we wanted it simple (and that's what is done in France): the guests stood up and clapped!

Cocktail time

We had outdoors and indoors portions which was nice for the guests, as the grand parents preferred sitting and relaxing inside, while others could walk around outside. 

With friends

My mother and my grand mother

My grand mother, and Rich's grand mother

Cocktail... Group Picture Time

All our Friends

My sister and I

All the hats ;-)

All the guys

And Family...

This one is great, it is all the guests (even though some are missing which is a little frustrating)