Welcome to Germany
PRE-WEDDING FUN
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We begin in historic Munich, where we will check off a bucket-list item and attend the annual Oktoberfest festival! (Yes, Oktoberfest is in September. Who knew?) We will also do some sightseeing and castle-hopping in the beautiful foothills of the Alps surrounding the city. We will be traipsing around taking in the Bavarian scenery for a few days and hope you take the opportunity to enjoy the city and festival with us. (Lederhosen or dirndl if you dare!)
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For our next stop, we’ll take a train to Heppenheim, a medieval village situated in a vineyard and home of the Dambier family. There, we’ll celebrate the traditional German “Polterabend" party at , a smashing event aimed at banishing any bad spirits before the wedding.
Fachwerkstube Heppenheim
Graben 16, 64646
Heppenheim (Bergstraße)
WEDDING WEEKEND IN BONN
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Our official wedding celebrations will commence with welcome drinks on a sunset boat cruise along the scenic Rhine River. Enjoy breathtaking views, snacks, and music as we travel along the river as we kick off the wedding weekend.
MS Moby Dick
Bonn “Alter Zoll” Pier
Landebruecke 4, Bonn
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On Friday evening, we invite you to join us for a wedding eve party in Brühl, famous for its magnificent UNESCO Augustusburg Palace, just a short train ride north from Bonn. We’ll be taking the train from Bonn but are arranging alternate transportation for those that request it.
Brühler Wirsthaus (located at the Brühl train station)
Max-Ernst-Allee 2, 50321 Brühl, Germany
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We’ll culminate our exciting wedding journey with a ceremony and reception at the historic La Redoute in the Bad Godesberg neighborhood of Bonn.
La Redoute
Kurfürstenallee 1, 53177 Bonn, Germany
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Join us for breakfast at the Insel Hotel on Sunday morning to say auf Wiedersehen and ’til next time!
Rheinstraße 45-49, 53179 Bonn, Germany
Theaterpl. 5-7, 53177 Bonn, Germany
The Festivities
We know many of our family and friends will be traveling far distances to join us for our wedding and we wanted to provide an opportunity to make the most of this trip by giving our guests the option to explore Germany a bit with us for some pre-wedding fun.
We'll start in Munich, arriving on Sunday 9/21, where we hope you will join us for a few days of the annual Oktoberfest festival, Bavarian sightseeing, and jet lag recovery.
On Wednesday morning, 9/24, we take a train to Heppenheim, the ancestral Dambier hometown. There we will partake in a traditional German wedding celebration, the Polterabend, to get rid of bad spirits.
The next day, 9/25, we travel by train to Bonn where we will have "official" wedding activities planned Thursday - Sunday.
Thursday evening we hope you join us for a welcome sunset cruise along the Rhein (boarding starting at approximately 4:30 PM and departure at 5:00 PM).
Friday evening, 9/26, we will head a short distance from Bonn to the adjoining town of Brühl for a wedding eve party at the Brühler Wirsthaus starting at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, 9/27 will be the big event - our wedding ceremony and reception at La Redoute in Bonn at 4:30 PM.
Finally, join us for a farewell breakfast on Sunday the 28th at either the Dreesen or Insel Hotels (will we be stopping by both!)
Feel free to join us for any or all of the activities described on this page - we hope to see you along our wedding journey!
Wedding Attire
18TH CENTURY MODERN:
This is just suggested attire for the wedding day; please wear anything you would feel most comfortable wearing between cocktail and black tie (aka) your best suit, formal yet festive dresses, etc. No need to buy anything new or rent a costume or a tux, unless that’s included in your own personal vision (no one is stopping you!) Just a gentle reminder that this is a wedding, not a costume party.
KEY WORDS & DETAILS:
Baroque, Rococo, lace, ribbons, bows, flowers, gold silver, or metallic accents, 3d appliqués, volume, puff sleeves, peplums, ruffles, filigree, high necks, dramatic sleeves, sparkle, textures, feathers, hats, tails, brooches
WEATHER:
In September, Germany typically experiences average temperatures ranging from 54°F to 68°F. October brings a more crisp and cooler climate, with average temperatures in the low 50s (it’s a lot like the Northeast or Connecticut at the same time of year).
ATTIRE FOR OTHER EVENTS:
Generally, please dress for comfort – casual, casual chic, whatever your pleasure. For evening events, we recommend wearing comfortable shoes and dressing in layers - always a good option for late September in Germany! Please see below for some specific notes:
Munich: If you are attending Oktoberfest, don’t be afraid to wear the traditional dirndl or lederhosen - Grace & Dan will be, as will a majority of the revelers!
Heppenheim: We will be walking through the old town center, where cobblestones and slight hills will be aplenty. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear.
Welcome Cruise: We will be ‘cruising’ on the river so there may be increased outdoor exposure (wind, sun) for those enjoying the outside deck.
Wedding Eve Party: Smart/business/chic casual is totally appropriate.
Farewell Breakfast: Be comfortable!