Wedding Day!

Rainy and Marcelo’s wedding really was beautiful. It was simple with a handful of close friends, but it really was nice. Aside from it being “feels like 134” degrees outside (111 + humidity… courtesy of the weather channel.com), and everyone sweaty like crazy, the church was somewhat cool and it provided a nice environment for a wedding. You know, for a second, it was easy to forget we were hidden away in a neighborhood of villas in a Catholic “Church” that was unrecognizable as a church from the outside… It felt like we could easily have been at home at a church.

That really was a sort of weird experience… we drove through a typical neighborhood, making several turns, and up to this normal-looking brick building that just said “St. Andrews Center”. It was only after walking through a gate and then a courtyard that you saw a typical set of heavy wooden “churchy” doors. Inside looked like any number of modern churches (sans stained glass) with pews and an alter… it was nice. I also squealed for joy when the priest walked in adorning a robe (albeit one with a stool which looked like he picked it up on his last holiday to Mexico!). The priest himself was a bit brusque, but I’d imagine the heat and humidity would do that to anyone in several hundred pounds of robe…

Kaden got to be the ring bearer and took his job pretty seriously… taking his sweet time to saunter down the aisle… and when the priest asked if there was anyone who had reason that Rainy and Marcelo may not be married, Kaden gave a very serious (and very loud) “bock!” It provided much needed comic relief for those of us with sweat pooling in various places on our bodies.

The very coolest part of the whole ceremony, for me, was when the priest asked us all to join him in saying the lord’s prayer… he made certain to tell the congregation to recite it in the language in which everyone learned it… so as Stu and I begin, “Our Father, who art in Heaven…” I hear all around us the same prayer (with the same breaks and pauses) being recited in Portuguese. Aside from Rainy, Stu and I were the only people present that speak English as a first language… the rest were mostly Brazilian (all the Jiu-Jitsu coaches who train with Marcelo and Stu), and a Sri Lankan guy.

After the ceremony Stu and I got to sign as witnesses on the marriage certificate, and then the bride and groom were given a nice farewell with handfuls of rice. Very fun.

We took them out to dinner at this Brazilian place called Chamas in the Intercontinental Hotel. There is no menu, just waiters with skewer after skewer of various kinds of barbequed meat, and a handful of side dishes. It was really good and Kaden was a little angel. We had arranged ahead of time with the restaurant to have a cake of Congratulations and their names on it made for them and Kaden REALLY loved that! Then we called it a night.

The happy couple.

Olavo and his wife Julia.

Me and the blushing bride! :)

Stu, Marcelo, and Olavo... and Kaden

Our happy little family... all dressed up for once!

Stuart and Marcelo

Kaden snuggling Marcelo's leg

Kaden having a great time in his suit!

Sweet baby!

Sid and his wife and daughter

The priest!

Walking down the aisle... See the little ring bearer back there??? :)

Bearing the rings!

The guests...

The kiss!

Signing the certificate!

It's my turn!

Rice!

Kaden the fat baby with his unzipped pants!