Before the summer vacation, there is a surge of weddings among French people. Couples marry before the break to combine their honeymoon or vacation with the holiday. Of course, friends and relatives are also mostly away on vacation during this period, making reunions difficult, as vacations in France are considered sacred. Wedding dates depend on individual professions and plans; educators, for instance, often schedule their marriages during summer breaks, which is the ideal time. After the holiday, everyone is full of energy, and the new semester begins. Many choose this fresh moment to walk down the aisle. Having lived in France for thirty years, I have participated in two relatives’ weddings, both held at the end of summer in the pleasant autumn weather. September is indeed the peak season for weddings in France.

The wedding of my friend’s daughter was announced three months in advance, and train tickets were booked early. On the last day of August, our family took the TGV high-speed train to Montpellier in southern France to attend the celebration. Decades ago, we had visited friends there during the summer heat of this Mediterranean metropolis. Nelly was just a little girl then. Time flies; children grow up, and it is hard to imagine that she is now getting married. In the evening, Nelly picked us up at the station and took us home for tea. Her parents were busy preparing small items for the next day’s wedding, sharing their feelings about marrying off their daughter and discussing life and friendship.

As dusk fell, Nelly accompanied her daughter to the flower shop and collected clothes. Our friends took us and her Canadian relatives from afar to visit and shop in Montpellier’s modern commercial city, which has grown larger and more centralized, offering diverse commercial spaces and urban leisure areas. We planned to have dinner at a restaurant there, but due to some mix-ups, we ended up dining at the hotel instead.

The wedding day finally arrived. In the morning, we helped prepare snacks at the church for the post-wedding reception. Both families had prepared many delicious treats, especially local foods from Strasbourg in northern France, where Maxime is from. Nelly and Maxime held their ceremony in a simple yet grand manner. Friends and relatives gathered at the city hall at 4 p.m. We arrived early and saw couples lining up for the civil registration, entering in an orderly fashion like an assembly line. Nelly and Maxime arrived in a festive red car and were escorted by friends and relatives to the civil registry office. The Montpellier City Hall is a modern, imposing black postmodern building. After taking two elevators to an unknown floor, we entered a large atrium corridor. We saw another couple just exiting the registry office, with colorful petals falling from above in a joyous atmosphere.

When it was Nelly and Maxime’s turn, we entered first. The registry office resembled a small chapel with long benches on both sides. The officiant and assistants stood at the front to welcome guests. After everyone was seated, the couple entered hand in hand under blessings, sitting directly in front of the mayor or deputy mayor. Accompanied by light music, the officiant explained the civil laws of marriage and asked if the bride and groom wished to marry each other. Upon their agreement, they signed the marriage certificate. The officiant congratulated the couple, and amidst applause and cheers, he handed the husband the household register and the wife the notarized documents, completing the civil wedding. Afterward, friends and relatives gathered for unforgettable wedding photos.

Following the civil ceremony, everyone proceeded to the church. Walking along the riverbank, past the square and university town, we arrived at the church decorated with festive ornaments. Under the guidance of God, friends, relatives, and church members participated in Nelly and Maxime’s religious ceremony. Two pastors presided over the service, filled with hymns and Jesus’ teachings. Witnessed by God and the congregation, the couple exchanged rings. The pastors presented them with a Bible as a wedding gift, concluding the simple yet solemn ceremony.

After the church wedding, church members helped organize a reception in the courtyard, serving abundant snacks and drinks to guests and attendees. There were Alsatian delicacies, Vietnamese spring rolls and dumplings, French grilled meats, and various desserts and beverages. Everyone enjoyed drinks and snacks while chatting and getting to know each other, including many students of Deyi who studied painting with her. The evening party continued in a lively atmosphere, celebrating Nelly and Maxime’s wedding with great enthusiasm.

The church reception lasted until 9 p.m., followed by the marital celebration. Close friends and relatives drove in several cars to the seaside near Montpellier. In the quiet night by the sea, they continued the celebration with a wedding cake and champagne, singing and drinking together. Amidst the moon playing hide-and-seek with clouds, the atmosphere was unique. People cheered on the beach, lying on the sand, enjoying the night view, walking, and drinking coffee and tea. Some of Nelly and Maxime’s young friends bravely swam in the sea, embodying youthful spirit and joyful madness.

Finally, Maxime and his friends lit sky lanterns one by one. Drifting with the wind towards the Mediterranean like meteors, they disappeared into the sky. The revelry lasted until after 2 a.m. While the young people continued to play, we returned to the hotel, ending the unforgettable day of the wedding celebration in dreams.