A Wedding in Venice

Water Taxi Service from 6-7 PM at the Cipriani Dock on the waterfront at Piazza San Marco.

It is a beautiful day for a wedding. The sun is shining and the water in the canal below our window, sparkles with sun pennies. Julie and I go for a short walk around the piazza, stopping for a leisurely capiccino at one of the sidewalk cafes. It is so relaxing to sit in the warm, sunshine, drinking our coffee and reguarding the pigeon dodging crowds. The pigeons seem to be unconcerned about possible collisions. They just continue doing their thing.

We return to our hotel to get ready for the ceremony. It is very exciting to be here and we look forward to the romantic wedding. Giving ourselves time for a leisurely walk across the island, we head out to the Palazzo.

When we reach our destination we enter the palazzo and are ushered upstairs, to a quietly elegant room. furnished with an ornate desk at the front and equally ornate chairs set in rows for the occasion. There are large bouquets of white lilies on the desk and on stands around the room. More and more people begin to arrive until the room is quite crowded. There are quite a few guests from Vancouver, with whom we mingle.

An officious little man leads us to the chairs and insists we sit down. To his chagrin most of us prefer to go out on the balcony to watch for the bride, who will come down the Grande Canal by taxi. Two musicians, a female translator and the Italian marriage commissioner arrive. The official is wearing a dark suite with a green, white and red ribbon across his chest. Beautiful music fills the room as we wait for the happy couple

To the strains of two violins the bride arrives in the anteroom with her father and her maid of honor. She is beautiful in a long, slim white dress, and a short veil. The maid of honor is elegant in black with a bright red wrap. Both are carrying small bouquets, white for the bride, red for her attendant. We all rise as they enter the wedding hall.