Got up early to go to the hairdressers as our friends A & S are getting married. The wedding is in the afternoon and I will have to try and stay out of the force nine wind that heralds rain and or thunderstorms – so fat chance. Lashings of hair lacquer maybe? At the moment it is bright and sunny and as I emerge from the hairdressers so do the wedding party, from the ‘commune’. S and A had their civil partnership ceremony this morning.
This afternoon at around 4 we’ll head up to the Relais del Castelluccio for the commitment and celebrations. I found a really great card for them which is of a circus and when you open it up and press the button, an elephant on a pail dances around to the tune of ‘The Big Top’. It’s amazing and there were some other clever designs but the circus was the best.
On the way back home there was a wedding in the duomo and one in Palazzo Corgna. Obviously the perfect date and the bride for the Duomo wedding arrived in a classic white Fiat 500: very cute. Apparently the Palazzo Corgna wedding were a Dutch couple, celebrating in an Umbrian style.
We had a light lunch of fresh borlotti beans and pasta and some extra runny gorgonzola before I set about making an enormous fruit salad for the reception. I should have started earlier as peeling and chopping apples, pears, peaches and bananas for over a 100 guests, takes time; quite apart from seeding a bunch of grapes, chopping up a large tin of pineapple rings and zesting four limes. The secret ingredient is Maraschino liqueur.
Now time to get dressed. Decided to wear my ‘opera’ outfit despite the breeze and we were going to walk to the reception but due to my choice of shoes, the two tubs of fruit salad and the fact that we were already 20 minutes late, we drove. Don’t think it will start on time, this being Italy, but you never know.
The relais is a wonderful example of Tuscan gothic with a nod to the Venetian in its style of arched and pointed windows and pillars. It was built by the ‘love child’ of Italy’s King Vittorio Emanuele II, Vittoria for herself and her lover, and became their rural retreat and a place where they could enjoy their pursuits of growing exotic plants and breeding pedigree animals. Two wonderful curvy glasshouses still survive in the gardens. We didn’t manage to see inside, further than the magnificent painted hallway and reception, but apparently the rooms are equally splendid.
A and S looked the part in Scottish dress and the kilts were an interesting purple tartan: not sure what clan that is. Long tables were laid out on the lawns and the terrace overlooking Lake Trasimeno. A delicious buffet of porchetta, various quiches, salads and cheeses and later a selection of cakes, fruit tarts and of course my fruit salad. On the wedding invitations guests were invited to bring talents as performers, musicians, etc. One group from the local opera turned up in costume. Other friends provided live music later in the evening.
It got quite chilly when the sun set and when Jamie popped home to check on Daisy, he took the opportunity to bring back a scarf and jacket. Autumn has definitely arrived.
Sunflowers and Saffron 