Much like mine, the business end of some French weddings takes place in the town hall because of restrictions as to what constitutes legal marriage — it’s either real clergy or the mayor’s office. On Saturdays, this scene will be repeated throughout the day, with one wedding party exiting to exultation while another enters from the staging area. This one, between my bride’s cousin, from Lyon, and her man, a Corsican, was the last of the day, so there was time to blow bubbles. (2009)