Nina and Graham married

Nina and Graham got married in Stevns Klint, Denmark, near a cliff made of 60 million year old chalk cliff that might soon enter in the UN World Heritage list (!). (More about Stevns Klint and the Klintgården B&B here.)  Nina is Danish, and Graham is English. The whole event was a great mix of both.

When I went to the church to have a look a week before the wedding, I spoke with the woman in charge and she said that this would be a special ceremony because there would be two ministers. Interesting I thought. They were bringing someone from England. A week later, at the ceremony, I looked around and wondered “Where is Graham’s father?” Then I saw him–he was the minister!

After the ceremony, the guests walked along the cliff to Nina’s parents’ farmhouse (we’re talking really big, thatched roof, whitewashed, traditional Danish farmhouse that Nina’s parents have turned part of into a bed and breakfast) for the rest of the celebration. Walking through an arbor of Danish flags, the two were showered with rice, and everyone had Pimm’s and cake in the garden. The Pimm’s cocktail was made in the traditional way with purple borage flowers, which came right from their garden. The garden covered several acres with a lush maze of hedges, trees, flowers, berry bushes, and vegetable patches, with nooks, and surprises all through it. Guests had set up tents in the far reaches of the garden, and fire pots followed handmade stone walls.

The dinner alternated food and toasts, with several instances of foot stomping and glass tapping. Foot stomping means the couple has to get under the table and kiss (see under table photo), and glass tapping means they have to stand on their chairs and kiss. If the groom leaves the table, all of the men need to line up to kiss the bride, and vice versa if the bride leaves. The guests all took the “Nina and Graham Pub Quiz,” and it included a soccer shootout, a Danish/English beer blind taste test, and some Danish tongue twisters for poor Graham (I feel your pain!).

After dinner, everyone moved to the “pub”–a part of the farmhouse connected to the barn, where the dancing began…and continued to the weeeeee hours of the night. At which point, a few of the guests had a high speed run through the 6′ high rapeseed field outside the barn. Quite impressive considering how tall and strong those plants are! (I know because I was running right after them! Thankfully, they had cleared a path for me ; ))

Dress: Mariah Victori, Frederiksberg Flowers: Marlene Christensen Blomsterdekoratør, Frederiksberg Cake: family friend (Pamela Hope) Food: Anettes Mad, Store Heddinge BBQ: grillcatering.dk (super yummy barbeque!) Beer: Stevns Bryghus Tent: Teltmesteren-Stevns.dk Venue: klintgaard B&B,