Wedding in Words and Photos

I think it was about the longest day of my life. I managed to sleep a little the night before but by 7:00am I was bright awake. My parents made a lovely breakfast and I felt quite peaceful. At noon I went to the hairdressers with my maid of honour, Heidi, to be pampered. Since I had chosen to get dressed at the apartment, having heaps of time at my disposal, going through the town of Lavagna all done up in a pair of jeans was a little bit strange and funny because everybody was staring at the bride to be. Back the flat my parents helped me getting ready and then I waited and waited and waited... The time never seemed to pass. I needed to be at the church at 16:30 pm and I was ready at 15:00 flat. My heart pounded like crazy and I realised that it wasn't because I was getting married I was so nervous but that we had 100 people waiting for me to enter the church and that I was going to be the centre of attention.

I wasn't emotional at all until I noticed the neighbour of our rental flat that we only had for a week staring down at the entrance of our building, waiting with her 10 year old daughter just to see me leaving. Upon seeing me she shouted out "Sei bellissima" (you're beautiful) and urged her daughter out as well while congratulating me, wishing me all the best for the future. It's hard to describe what I felt but I fought hard not to mess up my make-up.

The car ride to the church took what seemed like an eternity too. We actually had to wait at 3 different places on the way so we wouldn't arrive before everyone had gone inside the church.

My father and Ole M. sorting out some undone buttons.

Entering the church I was so full of adrenaline that my father had to hold me back from running up the church floor. I didn't really notice anyone except for Lorenzo by the altar being all smiley and handsome.


During the service I was getting more nervous by the minute by the thought of having to say my vows in Italian. Then I do the gaff, and I call Lorenzo "Lorenzi" and the whole church burst out laughing including myself. It kind of made the service more personal after that, the tension had gone and there was just a feeling of joy. Though that little gaff I'm sure I'll hear it for a looong time...

The priest somehow forgot to read out loud this telegram from the Pope blessing our marriage:

It's hard to tell from the photo but it's all been hand painted with an amazing precision.

At the restaurant I finally started relaxing, savouring the fact of having all our family and friends gathered around us. It was truly and international crowd (norwegians, italians, english, hungarian, south korean, iranian, sri lankan, spanish, french) and it was so beautiful and strange at the same time having them all gathered in one place! Our friends represents in a way our life stages. They are the friends that we have "picked up" on the way from country to country or those who have stayed with us regardless all the time and distance between us since we were kids.

Crème de la crème from Norway!

Dinner was great, and suddenly the song "hungry like the wolf" meant something to me - all the stress had gone and my appetite was happy to announce its return! I enjoyed all the 4 dishes : lasagne with pesto, risotto with lobster, fish fillet with oven baked vegetables and balsamico vinegar and Asado (grilled meat, Argentinian tradition).

While we were being photographed elsewhere the guests started on the aperitif.

Our jazz group played really well, and by the end of the evening Lorenzo picked up his saxophone and joined in for a few songs...

But not before we had been doing our dance moves and swinging it to Julia's soft voice.



After the restaurant the party continued until the early hours in a club by the Sestri Levante marina and we were the last ones to leave, walking to the hotel in the sunrise together with a few friends from our uni days.

It couldn't have been better than this!

One Month Ago