Last modified: 22 December 2013
Photos & Copyright: Henriëtte E.
Nancy, 28 & 29 December 2012
Civil wedding, 28 December 2012
The last royal wedding of the year 2012 – as far as I know – took place in Nancy, France, on 28 and 29 December 2012. The civil wedding of His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Christoph Alexandre Henri Marie Marcus d’Aviano of Austria (* Meyrin, Switzerland, 2 February 1988) and Adélaïde Marie Béatrice Drapé-Frisch (* Les Lilas, France, 4 September 1989) took place at the town hall at the Place Stanislas in Nancy. The couple was married by the mayor of Nancy, André Rossinot. The ceremony started at 5pm and was attended by close relatives, including the Luxemburg grand-ducal family. After the civil wedding the couple appeared on the balcony of the town hall. They kissed each other already there.
Already in the morning they paid tribute to the Dukes of Lorraine at the ducal chapel of Les Cordeliers in the Basilique Saint-Epvre. The bridal couple laid a bouquet of roses in the chapel. A private ceremony was held by Bishop Jean-Louis Papin, who was also to lead the religious wedding the next day.
In the evening the bridal couple once again visited the church. Some of the younger guests enjoyed their evening in Nancy and were spotted by some royalty watchers.
Religious wedding, 29 December 2012
The religious wedding of Archduke Chistoph of Austria and Adélaïde Drapé-Frisch took place at the Basilique Saint-Epvre in Nancy, France, on Saturday 29 December 2012. Nancy is the old capital city of the Dukes of Lorraine. The neogothic basilica was built between 1864 and 1874 and designed by architect Prosper Morey. It is situated at the Place Saint Epvre in the old town of Nancy. The basilica is dedicated to Saint Epvre, Bishop of Toul. The beautiful staircase was a gift of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, as well as several stained glass windows (showing Saint François and Sainte Élisabeth) while Emperor Napoléon III of France and his wife Empress Eugénie also offered windows (showing Saint Louis and Sainte Eugénie). Since a few years portraits of Emperor Karl II and Empress Zita of Austria decorate the basilica.
Christoph is the second Archduke to marry in Nancy. His great-uncle Archduke Otto in 1951 married Princess Regina von Sachsen-Meiningen in the same city.
On the occasion of the wedding the church was beautifully decorated.
Order of service
The service was led by Monseigneur Jean-Louis Papin, Bishop of Nancy and Toul, primate of Lorraine. He was assisted by abbé Christian Mahéas, Père Bruno Gonçalves (provost of the Congrégation de l’Oratoire de Saint Philippe Néri, Nancy), Père François Weber (parson of the Parish Saint-Epvre), Père Daniel-Ange, Père Patrice Cochard, Père Jean Meeûs, Père Marie-Angel Carré, Père David Vaimbois, Père Arnaud Mansuy and Père Jacques Bombardier, abbé Xavier Schelker, abbé Ludovic Serre and abbé Antoine Vairon.
The choir Vox Pop, organist Fabre Guin, trompettists, the chorale de Philanthropos and its director Vincent Lugon were responsible for the music during the service.
Ouverture de la célébration
- Te Deum (M.-A. Charpentier)
- Entrance: Adeste fideles
- Kyrie
- Gloria
- Oraison
Liturgie de la Parole
- First lecture: Genesis 2,18-24
- Psalm 33
- Second lecture: 1st Corinthians 12,31,13,1-13
- Evangelium: John 2,1-11
- Homily by père Christian Mahéas
Liturgie du Sacrement de Mariage
- Invocation de l’Esprit Saint: Colombe de Feu (Tibériade)
- Profession de foi
- Initial dialogue
- Engagement and exchanging the vows
- Benediction and exchanging the rings
- Nuptial benediction
- Acclamation song: Laudate Dominum
- Prayers of the bridal couple
- General prayers
Liturgie eucharistique
- Offertoire: Ubi Caritas (M. Duruflé)
- Sanctus
- Eucharistic prayers
- Our Father
- Agnus Dei
- Communion (Anima Christi Sanctifica me, by Marco Frisina)
- Prayer
- Consecration of the bridal couple
- Song for the bridal couple: Totus tuus Maria
- Final benediction
- Final song: Te Deum (Emmanuel)
- Signing the registers – voluntary for two trumpets (H. Purcell)
- Final song: Großer Gott (I. Franz)
- Procession: Toccata (C.-M. Widor)
The beautiful winter wedding dress of duchess satin was designed by Diane Lelys of Paris. The train was five metres long. The flower diademe was borrowed from the grand-ducal family of Luxembourg, from which the groom’s mother is descending. The veil of Alençon lace belongs to the Habsburg family.
After the wedding bride and groom once again kissed on the balcony of the town hall, where also the reception took place. In the evening the dinner and party took place at the Grand Hôtel de la Reine in Nancy. The bride got rid of the jacket of her dress, and also left the train and veil in the hotel. The groom changed into a smoking. The huge white wedding cake had bows and the top was decorated with macarons in six colours.
Bridal staff
The bride herself was accompanied by her sister Alienor Drapé-Frisch.
Witnesses
- Lætitia Drapé-Frisch
- Anne-Cécile Le Bihan
- Anne-Emmanuelle Loriquet
- Cécile de Framond
- Archduke Imre of Austria
- Prince Louis of Luxemburg
- Loïs de Framond
- Stanislas Godemel
- Augustin Duranso
Bridal children
The bridal children were accompanied by Claire and Anne-Laure.
- Princess Nora von Auersperg-Trautson
- Prince Jean de Nassau
- Jeanne Drapé
- Agathe Drapé
- Prince Noah de Nassau
- Archduchess Zita of Austria
- Maximilien
- Comte Léopold de Limburg Stirum
Guestlist
- Archduke Carl-Christian and Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria
- Comte Rodolphe de Limburg Stirum and Archduchess Marie-Christine of Austria
- Comte Léopold de Limburg Stirum
- Archduke Imre and Archduchess Kathleen of Austria
- Archduke Alexander of Austria
- Archduchess Gabriella of Austria
- Philippe Drapé-Frisch
- Odile Drapé-Frisch
- Aliénor Drapé-Frisch
- Lætitia Drapé-Frisch
- Galdric Drapé-Frisch
- Louis-Joseph Drapé-Frisch
- Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg
- Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
- Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg
- Prince Félix of Luxembourg and Claire Lademacher
- Prince Louis and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg
- Prince Gabriel de Nassau
- Prince Noah de Nassau
- Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg
- Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg
- Prince Nikolaus and Princess Margaretha von und zu Liechtenstein
- Princess Maria-Anunciata von und zu Liechtenstein
- Princess Marie-Astrid von und zu Liechtenstein
- Prince Josef-Emanuel von und zu Liechtenstein
- Prince Constantin de Nassau
- Prince Wenceslas de Nassau
- Prince Carl-Johann de Nassau
- Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg
- Prince Paul-Louis de Nassau
- Prince Jean de Nassau
- Archduchess Yolande of Austria
- Archduke Rudolf and Archduchess Marie-Hélène of Austria
- Archduke Carl-Christian and Archduchess Estelle of Austria
- Archduchess Zita of Austria
- Archduchess Priscilla of Austria
- Archduke Franz-Ludwig of Austria
- Archduke Michael of Austria
- Alexandra Riesle, Archduchess of Austria
- Fürst Franz Josef and Fürstin Constanza von Auersperg-Trautson
- Princess Anna Maria von Auersperg-Trautson
- Princess Ladislaya von Auersperg-Trautson
- Princess Eleonora (Nora) von Auersperg-Trautson
- Maria del Pilar Edle von Poschinger, Archduchess of Austria
- Archduke István and Archduchess Paola of Austria
- Archduchess Marguerite of Austria
- Carl Dunning-Gribble and Viridis Dunning-Gribble, Archduchess of Austria
- Carl-Leopold Dunning-Gribble
- Duke Rudolf and Duchess Alexandra von Croÿ
- Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle von und zu Liechtenstein
- The Prince and Princess de Ligne
- Princess Alix de Ligne
- Prince Henri de Ligne
- Prince Charles-Louis de Merode
- Princess Clotilde de Merode
- Baron Jean-Louis and Baroness Sophie de Potesta
- Eléonore de Potesta and Diego Fernández de Córdova y Cerveró
- Charles-Louis de Potesta
- Elisabeth de Potesta
- Prince Nicolas of Romania
- Countess Antonia Holstein-Ledreborg