Hugh captured this image of me just outside the chapel at La Candelaria waiting for my sister to arrive in a white rose and cala lily decorated horse drawn carriage. The wedding day of her dreams in full swing. I spent the day with that mixed look of consternation and alarm - tromping through postcard imagery of castles, green pastures and lazy horses with payments to vendors, to do lists for the kitchen staff, orders for the band and 4 key cue cards for the actual wedding ceremony (the priests translator backed out last minute so I stood in).
Aside from a few minor glitches (one table missing from the reception set up, no corsages delivered for the moms, sun shrank behind the frosty clouds in the afternoon, Rachel dropped her expensive bouquet of orquids on the carriage ride to the chapel and one of the wheels ran over it) it was a perfect day and the wedding had a dream-like quality most brides strive for but - the typical Hilton rubber chicken served to 200 people you don't really know - just can't deliver.
I taught a yoga class in the morning to my sis and several others then the bridal attendants (me, my mom and aunt) settled in to the master suite in the castle for hair, makeup and photo taking. Rachel glowed thanks to six months of pre-marital 6am bookcamp classes, umpteen facials and genuine wedding day glee.
The ceremony was short but charming. The priest delivered it in Castellano and I translated the important parts (do you blah blah?). I held up cue cards so they could respond in spanish "Si, lo somos", "Si, nos comprometemos", "Si, quiero". Rachel looked straight into Rey's eyes when she was meant to say "I will/Si, quiero", but instead said "I love you/Si, yo quiero". It worked and many teared up. Rey's mother was apeased with the catholic priest and proper order of things including receiving communion. Then, it was over and we all headed to the castle for a champagne reception with a live latin jazz quartet I found on the streets of the San Telmo Fair a few months prior. The band was a huge hit and the dancing started early.
After the reception we meandered across the sculptured lawns towards the dining hall for dinner and more festivities. First came the Ballet Folklorico show and then the traditional asado feast. Eyes bulged as tray after tray of meat emerged from the kitchen. Hugh walked from table to table explaining the difference between "vacio and asado, chinculin and rinones". After dinner but before dessert the speeches started. Most were spontaneous and heartfelt. Rachel cried during most of it - always the sensivite crab. Just when the room felt heaviest Hugh delivered the most entertaining speech of all - an awards ceremony based on the absurd events and personalities of that week. We'd talked through the ideas for it a few days prior but he went to Lobos (small town near the estancia) that day to pick up a slew of accompanying gag gifts. I played Vanna White to his game show routine and delivered a big plastic butt to my aunt who fell on her ass the night of the party while dancing. My mom received miniature baby dolls for her obsession with grandchildren. Friends michelle and eileen got statues of a happy bride and groom for their blow-out girlfight the previous evening (married couple award). Rachels Dad received "extreme makeover Dad edition" tie (she'd sent him straight to the spa and for a new suit the day after his arrival) and so on. Squeals of laughter gave way to dancing. I found my second wind at 1am and boogied the bump and Angelina-esque boobs to Michael Jackson Off the Wall and other hip hop classics. What more to say?
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