Well I think it’s fair to say I’ve landed. One week in Berlin and lots has been done. We have the keys to the new flat and furniture shopping has begun. The creation of the furniture list is very much like the Generation game, you just keep shouting out things that you vaguely remember are required to make a functioning home. I’m told however that chandelier and bar is not an immediate necessity. My first big adventure has to be that of a German wedding. A 200km/h train journey to Münster and a relaxed evening of beer and pizza; where you’re constantly being apologised to because they Germans feel their English is awful, believe me their English is better than most Brits, provided the perfect start to the big day ahead. Now Münster is what most people would imagine if you said picture a German town. Cobbles, cafes, bratwurst, churches, rivers and cyclists. We arrived at this small but picturesque Church and everyone was waiting outside in their finest. Upon entering the small church was beautifully decorated with flowers and candles and the golden cherubs smiled down on us below. The groom waited nervously at the Altar and then the bride arrived in a beautifully simple and flowing gown with a pastel bouquet. The service was in German but after to being to so many weddings I got the gist. What I wasn’t expecting was the Gospel choir singing “Like A Prayer”, Sister Act’s “I Will Follow Him” and “One Love” complete with arm choreography the congregation had to follow as we danced and clapped in our pews. The Groom then whipped out a selfie stick and took a shot of him and his new wife much to the confusion of the Catholic Priest at the front.
Ceremony over and confetti thrown, the Bride and Groom were whisked away in an Indian tuc tuc (they’ve travelled a lot together) and the rest of the congregation were ushered onto a privately hired open top double decker tour bus where we all headed upstairs and were toured around the city whilst the B&G took pictures around the city. The sister of the Bride then began to hand out cocktails in a can to all on board the bus. We were already told that they expected a lot from us this evening “the Brits know how to drink”. I looked down at the percent on the can 11%, Christ they start hard. We arrive at this beautiful riverside restaurant and are greeted with Prosecco, cocktails, beer, bucks fizz and canapes. Then a very hipster looking guy with a beard and a ponytail shows up with a piano on wheels and an amp and starts singing classic love songs in a very jazz lounge manner. People chatted amongst each other in the sunshine and then in the distance we saw a boat with a standing paddle board escort. It was the Bride and Groom making quite the entrance to their reception. People cheered and sang and they harboured by the pianist.
Inside the venue there was a photo booth, table plan with maps on the world. I was proudly flying the Union Jack flag that night. We all sat down to dinner in this beautiful rustic hall with roses chandeliers and place settings all complete with a test tube shot. There were topics of discussion placed on each table varying from travel, food, swingers and hangovers. The couple sat opposite were great fun and wanted to hear about our endeavours in Berlin. Dinner was served, a starter of risotto a main of pork with what can only be described as potato cake and ratatouille and then a huge fruit bowl and the cheese board to end all cheese boards. I was in heaven. The food was fantastic and the bar was open. Now when I say open I mean everything, wine, beer, spirits, jager and vodka…all night….what ever you wanted….oh dear! Cake was cut and a fantastic 1920s themed video was shown made by the friends of the B&G. Then the dance floor opened.
90’s pop, disco classics and the odd German pop song blared out and absolutely everyone danced. Spice Girls, George Michael, Beyonce. I was in my element and then the Cha Cha Slide came on. It turns out the Germans know the song but they don’t understand it. Cut to me teaching 25 drunk Germans the moves! After this is was time to cool down, we headed outside for a breather and the B&G hit pinatas of themselves showering us all in confetti and sweets. We danced and drank some more. I hit that point of just drinking anything in front of me something the Germans didn’t really understand “but if she wants a drink she can just go to the bar, it’s free” The sister of the bride also devised a clever game for the guests. You had a small questionnaire to fill in, horoscope, eye colour, weight etc. Now once collected all the slips she brought out some scales, for every kg you lied about you had to pay one euro and it was going in the honeymoon pot. I argued that I don’t understand metric and just guessed and I was wearing heels and that I had just eaten an entire cheese factory but I paid up nonetheless. Currywurst was served at midnight, score!!! Goodbyes were said and the next thing I’m waking up in the hotel. A absolutely fabulous wedding and I wish the happy couple all the best for the future.
After recovering from the wedding and a very lazy Sunday at an excellent food market where I dined on whiskey ribs from Happy Belly, buttermilk chicken from Born Again Chicken, Jerk chicken from Spice Spice Baby and then liquid nitrogen ice cream from Woop Woop. I thought I should probably find a job, with the help of a certain Spanish Spice Girl I have found a great job working for The Corner in the very fashionable and luxurious shopping district. Now all that’s left is a bank account, German phone number, the move to the new flat and to commence German lessons. Wish me Luck! Lots of German Love to LDN xoxo
thebritinberlin 