A Romanian Wedding-An All Night Affair

So after cleaning up trash all morning it was time to get ready for my first Romanian wedding. Now I had heard plenty about what to expect-the bride is stolen in the middle of the reception, the dancing, partying and eating continues until 4, 5, or 6 in the morning. You cannot leave until the cake is brought out and cut...etc etc etc. Well i was pretty excited to see firsthand what the wedding business was all about here. I decided just to give you a play by play with pictures...enjoy.

5:00PM-All ready to go to the Church service (Catholic) for that part of the wedding.

This part of the wedding takes place after the civil ceremony at the Mayor's office. So first civil, then religious, then reception.
The religious service was just like any other Catholic wedding i've seen except that it was 1. In Romanian, and 2. At the end, we all had to line up, walk up to the alter, and kiss a cross that the Priest was holding. When in Romania, right? Here is a picture of the bridal party and guests exiting the Church.



7:00PM-Everyone walks (yes walks) from the Church to the reception hall which was actually held in my sports gym of my school. Everyone walks in, gets a glass of wine, and greets the bride and groom with kisses and "casa de piatra" greeting which means "house of rock". (a reference from the Bible of building your house upon the rocks instead of sand). We found our seats and sat down. Here are some pictures from the sala, or hall.




8:03PM-The FIRST course comes out-I meat and cheese platter which was delicious.



There are six courses (or 5) at the wedding, and each course if followed by an hour or so of dancing, then another course and so on.

9:30PM-My mentor and friend Silvia informs me that we will be heading back to her house now so that she can change into her "evening dress" for the rest of the reception. I suddenly feel underdressed as I don't have my hair in an updo nor do I have a second dress to change into. She assures me I'm fine though, but her husband says "well next wedding you can be more glamorous." THANKS CATALAN! :)

10:00PM-We arrive back at the wedding despite rain and high winds. We are greeting by the second course which is a soup (kind of like chicken broth) and bread. It is welcome after running through the cold and the rain. Speaking of cold and rain--here is a picture of me at 2:30AM OUTSIDE in the cold just so that I can wake up a little. Check out that face.



10:00-4AM DANCING DANCING DANCING! Oh, but first some more eating at the table..



Then Dancing with Silvia's father as well as with my students!




11:30-More food, this time Sarmale, which is cabbage leaves wrapped up with meat and served with a sour cream. After that mean (1.5 hours later) there was chicken, more cabbage and mashed potatoes.

1:30AM Still dancing, coffee is flowing as well as coke, water, alcohol, anything to keep you awake and hydrated to DANCE.

1:45AM-This was interesting. Traditional gypsy dancers came out and the women started dancing behind men in the hall, lifting their skirts until the men put money into their clothes...



2:00AM-I am sitting at the table and get called outside by my students for an im-prontu judging-they want to know who the fastest runner is and I am to be the judge. At 2:00AM, in the middle of the night, with wet pavement. I ask them if they are sure and they are, so I take my position seriously and just laugh it off.

3:00AM-Back inside, dancing, drinking coffee, literally almost falling asleep with I hear that the cake is coming out!!! Sure enough, I finally see the cake which mean we are allowed to leave.




3:30AM-I finally get my slice of cake, I'm tired, happy, craving my own bed and a good night's sleep.