In July 2003 we were most gratefully invited to the wedding of Klaus & Christina. They are both German, and so it was my first traditional Bavarian wedding. The reason that we were invited, is that Christina is a very good friend of my girlfriend, and they have known each other for many years. Whereas in the U.K. a wedding ceremony (legal & religious) is all completed in one day, quite often in Bavaria, a wedding is over two day's, as you firstly have to have a legal ceremony at the town hall, and then you can have a religious ceremony in church.

On this occasion mind, the wedding was celebrated over three different days, with the first day the legal registration at the Rathaus in Weiden on the 28th June 2003 followed by a meal with family an friends; then the second ceremony, was a traditional roman catholic wedding in the church at Schloss Oberschleiβheim on the 12th July 2003, again followed by festivities at a local restaurant with friends and family; then finally the main wedding reception was held in Weiden on 19th July 2003. I know it seems a bit complicated... I was a little confused in the beginning too!

The catholic wedding ceremony

The newlyweds...

The gardens of Schloss Oberschleißheim

The Bride & Groom with the Brides parent's

Cutting the cakes...

The first dance

The speeches...

Frank pouring the many glasses of Champagne

Klaus begging forgiveness

Keep the Champagne flowing...

Love is blind!

The happy and tired couple...

Band Aid

Why does the Bride always stay looking wonderful all day long... and the Groom, Well! He's looking a bit tatty now!

The return

Robert & Korina dining...

Well I know that I was on crutches, but I still managed to steal a dance with the blushing bride!

A very slow dance with Korina

A game of musical umbrella... when the music stops, whichever couple are left holding the umbrella, they must pick one of the forfeits (which are hanging off the umbrella in the form of a heart), and complete that forfeit. The forfeits are only nice things that you must do for the new bride & groom, such as baking them a cake etc

Stephan with the Bride & Groom overseeing the musical umbrella's

Christina looks on...

Desserted...

Our table

The Performers

A bit early for pantomime season...

Hands off...

Watch in amazement

Which way?

Salute... Prost... Cheers...

Very well choreographed... I know you are looking at these pictures thinking, what the hell is going on? Well it is a bit difficult to explain, and it was one of those things, where you had to be there! It was very funny though

Dancing in the moonlight...

A game of Mr & Mrs...

The Wife always wins...

All photographs were taken in Oberschleßheim and Weiden - Germany from the 12th & 19th July 2003.