The promise, the Swiss wedding

After visiting Europe last year in July, I flew to India. One day, I got an email from my best friend, Ursina. She announced that she was going to get married with Fabrizio in May 2010. I was really happy and also surprised, because I was always asking them in May last year that when would they get married, and the answer seemed not so soon.

In 2005, when I first went to Switzerland, I promised that I would save enough money and come back for their wedding. Even her mother reminded me when I went to visit them last year. As the voice was still echoing in my head, how could I fail my promise?

This was the main reason I flew all the way back to Europe from India this year. Except to witness the important moment of my best friend and her boyfriend, I made another promise - to be their photographer. This was my first time to be a wedding photographer, though there was pressure, I was very happy and enjoying all the moment.

I believe they will continue to live their fairy tale lives together...and with their babies soon!!!Hehe.



I think Ursina and Fabrizio's wedding is a wedding that many people can only dream of. As they both like sailing, the theme of their wedding is always related to the lake. The ceremony was held in an old castle overlooking Lac de Neuchâtel, where they have a boat and where Ursina would come every summer since she was a child.

In front of Chateau de Vaumarcus where the ceremony would be held.


Ursina and Fabrizio were coming into the hall where all the guests were already ernestly waiting.


They planned the whole day very dedicatedly. The ceremony was solemn but touching, with a Russian musician playing wonderful music and the boyfriend of Fabrizio's sister (who is a opera singer) singing.


Moreover, the uncle of Ursina, whom they always do sailing with, made a speech about their childhood which was full of sense of humour.


The beautiful and simple ring exchange. Congratulations Mr and Mrs Branca!


A path of roses, welcomed the newly-married couple.


Even the sun came out to congratulate the couple! Cheers!


After taking group pictures with different people and the aperitif, we gradually moved to the port and we were going to take the ship across Lac de Neuchâtel, through the channel and arrive the restaurant on the shore of Lac de Bienne.


A very beautiful day which permitted the guests to stay on the deck.


Everybody was concentrating on playing the quiz about the couple.


Music and 'dancing' on board.



Funny situation when the couple was doing guest presentations. I was surprised that I was included in the presentations!


The beautiful two hours' journey on the lakes.


Wasn't it a fairy tale wedding?



The beautiful restaurant where we would have the wedding dinner.


The couple kicked start the dinner.

In between the dinner, there were many speeches and performances of guests, including the drama by Fabrizio's family, singing of his sister and her boyfriend, piano playing and singing of Saskia (Ursina's friend)'s boyfriend etc.

Moreover, there was a movie about the couple's love story made by Ursina's brother.


The most surprised part was organized by Regula(Ursina's friend) when she presented the wedding book.


They were super excited to open the book.

Actually, the book collects all the surprises from all guests. Regula asked us to send her a page beforehand which represented our best greetings to them. All people used their imagination and creativity to make this book together. It is the best wedding gift I have ever seen in the world!



All the guests were so curious to see the work of other people.


This is my page made with macrame.

Last but not least, we still had the dancing section.

Waltz.


Cha cha cha.

And then all the guests were dancing together!

Oh yes, I have to show you one of the dishes that night - my vegetarian spring roll! Have you seen such a big spring roll before? It was delicious!


It was such an unforgettable and happy memory for me. Moreover, it was indeed an honour to be included and I could share the joy with them. Thanks very much, Ursina and Fabrizio!

Maybe you will ask, what are the differences between a Swiss and a HK wedding?

Swiss people usually don't have pre-wedding photo shootings, while HK people like to go to Taiwan or studio and change million sets of clothes.

They don't invite too many people, they just invited less than 60. While in HK, a dinner hall filled with 200 people is very common.

On the wedding day, they don't change several sets of clothes. While in HK, the bride has a set of Chinese costume in the morning, Western costume in the ceremony and several sets of evening gowns in the dinner.

They don't play the groom in the morning. The groom doesn't have to perfom the 'talent show' (like playing piano) during the dinner.

Although Swiss wedding is simplier, I still prefer no 'ritual' at all IF I will ever get married:)

Cheers! A funny picture taken by the mother of Ursina.

Before the wedding 1 - BBQ and the Zoo

When I arrived at Basel, Switzerland. I was so surprised by the warm weather, it was such a big contrast against the cold weather in Rome. Everywhere was so green and colourful, which made my eyes almost cannot open.

As Ursina and Fabrizio were both working, so I followed the instruction written by Ursina to find the bus, the tram, the house and the key. The whole process was like the treasure hunt game which I used to play in primary school. And the treasure which was waiting for this sweating and tired traveller was the delicious Swiss food!

The sweet words left by Ursina. I was laughing a lot when I saw it behind the door.


Actually, it was an abnormal sunny day for them also. It was as warm as over 26 degree, like in the middle of summer. But it was still rainy and cold the day before. In order not to waste this beautiful day, we had a barbecue in their beautiful garden.

As beautiful as ever.

I agree with Fabrizio very much that, if I was living here, I didn't need to travel to another part of the world anymore, because the heaven was always here.




Do you recognize this situation? Last year, almost exactly the same time, we were having barbecue also!


But this year, we had a special guest! Julieta! The niece and also god daughter of my friends.


And the brother and his wife who is from Buenos Aires. I was so happy to speak in Spanish and talked about all the delicious food and beautiful places there with her.


Yum Yum! She is my new favourite baby.

And her little cat.

The next day, we were baby-sitting Julieta so as to let her parents had a very rare break from the baby. Unluckily, the weather turned 180 degree from the day before. It changed to its typical rainy weather again.


Actually, they fit the job of parents very capably, hehe.



I seldom went to the zoo, so it was very new for me also. It seemed I was more excited than the baby.


First time to see a giraffe. They are so tall!

We were so close to the lion! He looked proud but sad. At the same time, there was a group of stupid teenagers(who were speaking in Italian) provoking the lions.


A beautiful cheetah hiding behind the bushes.

King penguins, some of them were changing the fur.

My first time to see a rhinoceros.

I always thought the American buffalos were all killed by the cowboys! Luckily, they are preserved.


Julieta was really not so interested in the animals. As she is such an energetic baby, she just ran from one cage to another, from one window to another. This was the reason why we went to such a big zoo...


It seemed Fabrizio wanted to promote 'a real communication' between a baby and a goat. So he pushed the baby trolly forward.


I don't know whether the goat failed in asking a date out from Julieta, then theathened her or she smelt the　bad breath from the goat. Anyway, she started to cry.


But she was soon relieved by a banana!