The middle of the Unter den Linden, usually left to pedestrians, was freshly strewn with red earth for the procession of the carriages.  All the public buildings were festooned with enormous paper roses as big as cabbages.  There were high poles holding gilded baskets filled with flowers.  In order that every one of the populace should have a souvenir these flowers were soaked in a preparation of wax, which made them quite hard, and they were warranted to last for some time.  Streamers of paper flowers, graduating from light yellow through the whole gamut of rainbow colors and ending in dark blue, reached to the ground from the tops of the houses.  The Opera House outdid itself.  It was wise to cover it as much as possible—­it is such an ugly building.

The French Ambassador invited us to see the entree from the balcony of the Embassy in Pariser Platz.  The little maidens, their heads crowned with wreaths, had been waiting in the sun for hours with their baskets filled with roses, which they were to throw before the Princess as she passed.

It was a splendid procession, headed by the Hofstalmeister, followed by a staff of officers spangled with orders and decorations, in the most gorgeous uniforms.  Then the blast of trumpets and a mounted military band preceded the gala coach, only used for weddings, drawn by six horses with huge white plumes on their heads.  In the coach was the Empress, and on her right the Princess Cecilia in a light-blue dress, white hat, and long blue feathers.

The coach stopped in the Platz, and the Mayor of Berlin approached the window and presented a huge bouquet and delivered an address to the Princess, who bowed graciously and smiled.

The Empress looked very happy.

After this came all the other gala coaches, followed by the garde du corps.

There was a family dinner, and after that the gala performance at the Opera.  I have already told you about these gala performances, so this will be only a repetition, except that there were more flowers and more carpets.  All around on the ledge of the balcony there were fresh and real roses and carnations, so that every lady could take a bouquet away with her.  Garlands of paper flowers hung the entire distance from the ceiling to the prompter’s box.  One wondered how they found hands enough in Berlin to make all these thousands of flowers.

The parquet was a garden of uniforms.  The Emperor entered with the bride-elect on his arm, and the Empress with the Crown Prince.  The Crown Prince wore the white uniform of the Guards, and a silver helmet.  The other princes followed, all entering very quietly.  Every one in the theater bowed and courtesied, and save for the rustling of dresses and the rattling of swords there was not a sound to be heard.  The Crown Prince and his fiancee sat in the middle seats, the Emperor to the right of his daughter.

The overture was a composition made for the occasion, and played while all the lights were blazing, in order that every one could have a good look at the Princess.