Coburg, May 21st-22nd, 2009
The civil wedding, May 21st, 2009
A wedding is always a good occasion to stay somewhere for a few days, and apart from the wedding see as much tourist attactions as possible. As the civil wedding was a private event and we didn't know how late it started, me and my friend(s) decided to go sightseeing in Coburg. Around 2.30pm we were on our way to see the royal mausoleum. As we were near the house of Prince Andreas and Princess Carin von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, the parents of the groom, and the office of the family we decided we wanted to have a look what the house and the office looked like. Accidentally bride and groom also paid a short visit to the house, where outside the flags of Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha and the USA were proudly waving. The bride wore a lovely white-green summer dress. Just outside the office we bumped into Prince Andreas, and outside the house we "met" Prince Alexander, who had just arrived from Vienna, Austria. We decided that the wedding would take place later that day, but as we of course knew there was nothing to see, we decided to go on sightseeing.
From the newspaper we discovered the civil wedding had taken at 5pm in the Salon Belvedere of Callenberg Castle, in the outskirts of Coburg. The bride wore an elegant white lady's suit, and had a bridal bouquet of white flowers. Present were only about fourty guests, among them the closest relatives and some good friends. The couple was married by the mayor of Coburg, Nobert Kastner. After the wedding there was a small reception. In the evening there was a dinner at the castle.
The Bavarian-American evening, May 22nd, 2009
Another day of visiting the castles in and around Coburg, as well as doing some necessary shopping. We really didn't go for it, but on our way in town we again met the bridal couple just outside a restaurant in town, where they were likely going to have lunch.
In the afternoon we visited Callenberg Castle, which closed one hour earlier than was said before. Afterwards we were supposed to leave the area, although we also wanted to see the family cemetery. After some talking with the police, we got permission, but a policeman had to come with us. Back at the bottom of the hill, we decided to stay there and wait for the guests of the Bavarian-American evening - with Bavarian sausages, American hamburgers and hotdogs and local beer. The almost 500 guests started arrived early in the evening. Some came by car, and others by bus or taxi. Happily for us some parked at the parking place near us, so at least we managed to see some of the guests. The guests were often dressed in traditional dirndl or lederhosen. A few of the guests were even willing to pose, like Mrs Alix von Miller zu Aichholz née Countess zu Castell-Castell with her sons and daughter-in-law. Even downhill we heard the yodel-music when the party really started. Halfway the evening we drove back to Coburg and had dinner in the same restaurant as where the bridal couple had enjoyed their lunch. Needless to say that the food was quite good.