A Wedding in Bern


We have been invited to a wedding in Bern. One Iranian boy from my native town in north (Caspian Sea) got married a Swiss girl who loved each other since 2 years ago. The marriage was not in Iranian way and was based on Swiss rules and traditions in the official office of municipality. We were in the office at 10:30 a.m. and the lady who used to be in charge to register the marriage, has started to read all the formality texts for the acceptance of the couple in Deutsche language. Obviously I couldn’t understand the meaning of the words but I could get that she is advising bride and groom for their rights, responsibilities for a new life
We were 8 plus the couple 10 and bride's sister who was a student, prepared a cocktail party in cooperation with her father in the garden of the office where the officials put some chairs and round table for these occasions. This gathering took about one hour and it creates a good atmosphere for all of us, a good aperitif before lunch. Further more we carried on the gathering up to lunch in a Pizzeria managing by an Iranian!
I was thinking if the groom could arrange the same simple ceremony in Iran and how he could convince families of both sides to follow him. Although in a country with the lifestyle of Switzerland it’s an ordinary wedding and it‘s popular.
As a matter of fact the important thing is the right relation between them. They have to be happy of being together living together and enjoying of their life. That’s all.
After some years, everything gets on order, relatives follow their own business and friends remain for some official greetings and … That’s it.
Who can guaranty if each of them could have a better choice rather than this marriage and who is going to define the certain level of the dialog between people of different nation, different cultures with certain regards, but only the love.
It’s the love that makes things easier for both of them and brings deep happiness to the life of bride and groom, so obvious in their face, in their shining eyes.
It seems so fast, simple and nice but it took more than 18 months for the couple to prepare all documents to be authorized to get married!! I don’t know how it works for Swiss people but I understood that it was too difficult for our friend. The boy was a refugee!!