May Memoir: Ca va? Stories from Rural Life in Southern France, Chapter 28: Food Woes

Welcome to May MEMOIR!

Day 29

For the entire month of May, I'll be sharing part of each chapter from my memoir, Ca va?  Stories from Rural Life in Southern France.

I was worried our wedding was going to have too much of a country feel to it, but Christophe convinced me a French country wedding – where all the guest help out- was the way to go.  For some reason, I couldn’t get the image of Laura Ingalls and that pesky little tune out of my mind.

Chapter 28: Food Woes

After finishing the first phrase of planting the garden, Christophe and I started to map out the wedding plans.  We already decided the reception would be held in the village square instead of the garden.  Christophe was worried the terraces might lead to some problems and possible falls after the festivities had gotten under way.  We looked into renting plates and glasses but discovered it would be more convenient and less expensive to buy them, and Christophe was going to make tables and benches.  I had bought my dress back in Chicago and Chantal offered to be my seamstress as well as to be in charge of all the required linens.  We had already been to the fabric store for some items and were impatiently waiting for a package we had ordered online.  Our plans were shaping up nicely, but there was still one detail we were not decided on: food.

            “So, explain to me again how you expect us to get married and cook dinner for all our guests”, I say to Christophe one afternoon while he is in his workshop measuring wood for the tables.

            “We do everything we can beforehand, and ask everyone to pitch in”, he says.

            “I’ve never been to a wedding where I am asked to work”, I reply.

            “Then you’ve never been to a country wedding before”, Christophe says with a smile.