(Windenburg Year 227) It's finally happening! The love story between the rediscovered Duke Merlin von Windenburg and the commoner Mandy Rosewood from Oasis Springs has been going on like forever. This Spring they finally tied the knot, an event that will not be totally without controversies...
They met years ago in Selvadorada when Mandy decided to stay two years in the jungle to paint the wild nature while mending her broken heart.
They fell in love, but one day "Mirard" had surprisingly left his tiny hut, and Mandy gave birth to their daughter Mirarda and returned to stay with her parents in Oasis Springs.
At Mandy's debut exhibition "The jungle" at Gallery Casbah in San Myshuno Mirard unexpectedly showed up, and they reunited. In the meantime Mirard had discovered that he was in fact the long assumed drowned Duke Merlin Edvard von Windenburg, of the House von Heimlich. In the latest episode of my ongoing video series As Sims Go By (season 3, episode 2) you will get more details on Merlin and Mandy's love relation.
This big day started with the couple giving their marriage vows at Isle, in front of the Von Windenburg Estate which was recently renovated and now has most of its original shape. The massive rebuilding took a full year.
Mandy was wearing a stunning long wedding dress with long white gloves. The pale peach bouquet had no color reference to House von Heimlich, but as the Rosewoods didn't even have a color preference, it might be a decision made by her mother, Ona, the florist. Mandy wore the spectacular Wessex Aquamarine parure which belongs to a very old wedding tradition of House von Heimlich. The tiara and necklace can be traced 225 years back. It is normally not worn by the bride until her duchess investiture, but due to so many jewelries being stolen/sold by the Villareals 30 yeas ago, wearing the parure on this day is a nod to and celebration of the return of the dukedom. The Wessex parure is among the oldest and most exclusive jewelry existing in SimNation, and has not been seen in public since Duke Merlin's mother, Duchess Brynhilde Louise, wore it more than 40 years ago.
It's not so strange that the day was a bit overwhelming to Mandy. She is daughter of the Region 12 Councilor Josue E. Rosewood and Florist Ona Rosewood, who belong to Oasis Spring's upper class but resides a nice but rather humble home. But they have no connections to any House, and they never frequented nobility, except for Mandy's mother sharing her gardening interest with Old-Duchess Claudine de Cavalier.
The couple and their guests then traveled to the old ruins north of Windenburg's Oldtown. That's where Merlin's ancestors resided until their castle was demolished during the great war, and they moved to Oldtown before Merlin's grandfather built Von Windenburg Estate at Isle. At the ruins there were a much older fortress and also a church. The graveyard is still tended, but the dukedom has their private graveyard at Isle.
Merlin adores his daughter Mirarda - she can save the House von Heimlich, but she can never inherit the dukedom. More about her further down.
It's a lot to take in for Mandy. The locals are split - some support her and don't seem to mind her background as a commoner. Perhaps it makes them think she is one of them, like a Cinderella suddenly becoming a Duchess. That would have been a rather impossible journey if it was not for the Duke being so cheerful and including. Duke Merlin is not as focused on noble etiquette as he should, probably because he got a different look at life from living in the Selvadoradian jungle for multiple decades. The other half has turned their back to the dukedom much because a nobody will get the status of a duchess. Funnily they did never react on the huge age gap between Merlin and Mandy.
In general the supporters show up, while the opposition stay home writing for the critical columns in the daily media. The latest critics stated that Mandy should not be wearing a white dress for her wedding, as white dresses are reserved virgins... Seems like some still lives in Year 127!
Mandy is not yet officially entitled Duchess von Windenburg. Unless something is coming up, she gets her Investiture on first day of Winter this year.
There were many noble guests, but because of controversies some of them did not desire being photographed with the couple, as tradition actually is. So, Duke Merlin decided to have only the closest family portrait taken. Because he himself has no siblings, only Mandy's parents and brother Emerson were included. From left: Duke Merlin von Windenburg (75), Mandy Rosewood (41), Josue (Egan) Rosewood (74), Ona Rosewood (83), Emerson Rosewood (34). In front, Mirarda Rosewood (4), who will expectedly get her father's family name (Heimlich).
Right after the ceremony it started to rain lightly, and the group headed to the Town Hall for a formal reception, and then to the Von Windenburg Estate for the gala dinner. Proud mother of the bride, Ona Rosewood, looked stunning today (even without a tiara - hint to that video). She is getting very old, I'm glad she got to join this wedding.
Well - how about little Mirarda? She is not in line of successors to the dukedom, as it can only be inherited by males. Besides, she was born outside marriage, meaning she will be last in any lines. She will most likely get a courtesy title as Lady von Windenburg, though, and she will get the best education available. If her parents don't get any more children, Mirarda's future son might inherit some noble rights, or Mirarda herself might even become head of House von Heimlich.
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