Germany Recap Part 2: Jocketa

Despite almost missing out first train (we had to do 3 transfers), our travels to Jocketa went pretty smoothly. Ken bought us some sandwiches for the road (lifesaver) and we even had a few beers for the train ride! In Berlin, Ken purchased a rosemary plant to liven up the flat and we ended up naming the plant (Jan Christensen Dunkel) and bringing him along for the ride!

We made some fun videos at the train stations and finally made it to Jocketa! We were all staying at the Lochbauer Inn. It was a beautiful bed and breakfast and the wedding reception was also held at the inn. Our first night we headed over to the bride's childhood home for a wonderful dinner. Antje's mother's garden was absolutely beautiful! This German celebration is called Polterabend - it is a tradition where the guests break porcelain to bring luck to the couple's marriage. We had the best time getting to meet their families and friends.

 

 

On our second day we enjoyed a lovely breakfast and lunch, then we headed on a hike to the lake. It was a beautiful walk from the Lochbauer and we got to swim, lay on the hill, and even play a killer game of volleyball. We all got ready and then hiked to Antje's family's house for rehearsal dinner - Kyle's parents, Kay and Harry, and Ken prepared a typical Southern dinner with shrimp and grits, low country boil, fried chicken, and all the fixings. Thankfully they had lots of vegetarian options too! The hike was stunning and we even got the see the Jocketa bridge which is the tallest and longest brick bridge in the world (it was rebuilt after the Germans bombed it during WWII).

 Finally Saturday arrived and it was wedding time! We got to the chapel around 11 and the ceremony was at 11:30 AM. Antje's friend, Jule, translated the ceremony from German to English and did a wonderful job. Antje was the most beautiful bride and she radiated happiness. I couldn't have been happier for the lovely couple! After the ceremony, we all had champagne and sandwiches before heading back to the Lochbauer.

 

Once back at the Lochbauer, we all took group photos and then had coffee and cake!

 

Before dinner, some of the older guests and children went on a carriage ride, while the rest of us stayed behind and played games and enjoyed the perfect weather!

After the delicious dinner, we heard the speeches (including one from our dear friend Victor that J brought and Ken read for the newlyweds). Antje gave the most beautiful speech honoring her father who passed away last year - there wasn't a dry eye in the house and I couldn't even understand since she said the speech in German! The couple's great friend, Steve, was the DJ and also planned a beautiful surprise for them filled with candles and sparklers - so fun and romantic! We danced into the night and celebrated the couple and our new German friends!

 

J + I had to call it a night earlier than everyone else (around 2:30 AM) since we had an early train to catch back to Berlin before flying home. We got to enjoy a last breakfast with our new friends (including the adorable Mika ♥)! It was so bittersweet to leave, but we were so grateful to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. We will meet again one day!

Stay tuned for part 3! J + I head back to Berlin, just the two of us, and try our luck at navigating the train systems alone.

xo