Lausanne - Easter Wedding Extravaganza

The wedding of our friends Peter and Natacha in Lausanne gave us the perfect excuse to visit Switzerland. Lausanne was in peak form - the views across sparkling Lake Geneva towards dramatic snow-capped French Alps were amazing, and the city itself lived up to my Swiss stereotypes in being impeccably groomed and well-organized. Friday’s theme was getting to know our fellow guests while enjoying our surroundings. A group of twenty or so of us journeyed to a local winery, first by ferry then on foot through the vineyard-covered hills, before returning to Lausanne by train for an evening of pizza and drinks.

Saturday, Jerel and I jogged along what we agreed was probably the most beautiful jogging path in the world (challenge, anyone?) before donning black-tie attire for the big event. The celebration was held at the Beau Rivage Palace, a beautiful, grand, lavish hotel with a Baroque feel. The short and sweet marriage ceremony was followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the spectacular hotel gardens overlooking the lake. The reception offered great food and entertainment, including risqué speeches, a comical newlywed game (the ‘shoe game’ – where bride & groom answer provocative questions from the guests), and live music and dance moves from across the decades.

Easter Sunday, Natacha let her game-loving side shine with a fabulous Easter-egg hunt involving over 1000 chocolate eggs hidden throughout the expansive hotel gardens. I may not have one the prize for most eggs but I think I won the prize for persistence (I was the only one that left with a grass-stain!). That afternoon, we worked off our chocolate spoils walking through hilly Lausanne, which was quiet even by European standards for a Sunday on account of the Easter holiday.