The Wedding

The wedding of Venla and Samppa was just as beautiful as the sky turned out to be later in the evening. The Ceremony took place on a patch of flowering grass against a cliff and afterwards when the pair walked up the path to the wedding feast the air filled up with soap bubbles that we blew since one's not allowed to throw rice in Suomenlinna.

The feast was in Pirunkirkko in Suomenlinna. Pirunkirkko means literally Devil's Church and it isn't really known where the name comes from. Wikipedia has this to say about the word pirunkirkko, namely that it means a cliff or rock formation that may have been used as a refuge or a sanctuary. It also has a pagan meaning. The Suomenlinna Pirunkirkko is a brick building built in the 1770's that has been serving as a naval worshop and store and also as a residence and is now renovated for festive use.

The party was both tearful and happy. We heard at least 14 speeches, which to be granted sounds horrific to any reasonably experienced party goer, but really it wasn't horrible at all for the speeches were so good. The food was also good, especially all the different cakes that had been baked by a multitude of friends.

According to the theme of the wedding after the dinner Samppa and his brothers and friends stormed in as gypsies. And then they dansed the Vagabond's Valse. They were just as I envisioned waching the movie.

Again you may check some pictures, but I opted to experience the day rather than record it so there are really only a couple of pics. Mostly of the incredibly beautiful sky in the evening and the setting sunlight on the reed decorations.