Our First Brazilian Wedding

After a year of whining that we haven't had much interaction with the locals, we were invited to a Brazilian wedding recently!

I found some of the subtle differences between this particular wedding and what we are used to back home to be very interesting. Of course I don't know if these particular differences are typical of Brazilian weddings, but seeing as how they are all I have to go by, I will write about them. Meaning: I don't intend to generalize that anything I saw was exemplary of what every Brazilian wedding is like, this is just my experience.

We arrived a bit late (the reason why is funny and will be featured in another separate blog post), but not by much, and were relieved that we didn't miss anything. We weren't sure what to expect in terms of how people were dressed, but they had pulled out all the stops. Most of the women were in evening gowns and the men all in suits. We had suspected we might be overdressed but in the end I felt under-dressed, but I figure that when you go to something full-term-pregnant, people are just impressed that you showed up and wore something other than pajamas or yoga pants, so my long dress was just fine even though I did not feel super dressed-up.

We immediately felt incredibly welcome, as the groom (who we had NOT met before) immediately figured out who Mr. DRL (I guess we gringos stood out) was and came over to greet us.

My favorite part of the wedding ceremony was the music - it was live, and the singers were awesome.

The groom was the first to enter the church, accompanied by who I assumed was his mother. They were followed by 18 other couples (I counted) who consisted of the bride & groom's families and close friends, who all stood at the front of the church around the couple as the ceremony took place. The bride and her father were the last to enter. Getting a good photo of the bride and groom was impossible as there were two videographers and at least as many photographers within a 5 foot radius of the couple as well, complete with blindingly bright lights.  Everyone was dressed to the nines and looked fantastic.

The service was of course in Portuguese and I did miss some of what was said, although from what I caught, the priest was almost more like what our MC's would be like at receptions, cracking jokes and telling stories about the couple's history and certain individuals who were in the "wedding party" (again, which consisted of 36 people!).

After the ceremony, the bride and groom signed the registry, made a small speech of thank-you's, and had the singers perform an additional song, to which they sang along.

Traditional rice was thrown as the couple made their escape from the church.

The reception was held nearby, and I thought the chocolates and cake displays were just gorgeous (see photos below).  A formal RSVP was not asked of us, which puzzled me, but when I saw the setup I understood why - there was not actual dinner but rather a small appetizer buffet, and waiters circulating all evening long with other salgadinhos, etc.

Two little girls caught sight of my very pregnant belly and came over to chat and hug the belly. They asked what the baby's name was and when I said I didn't know because I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, they seemed quite puzzled. To be fair, that is generally the reaction I get from most Brazilian adults too!  They asked me if I spoke English and I said I did, and that I was a "gringa" - which they thought was the funniest joke they had heard in awhile and we all laughed for a good few minutes... so cute.

The "paparazzi" with the bright lights stalked the bride and groom for the entire night, which meant that even at the reception I failed to get a single good photo of them. But I am sure they have plenty.  The bride and groom circulated the room and greeted each table and took photos with all of us, and of course the belly got a kiss from the bride for luck, I assume.

Although we did make a bit of an early exit given my condition and the long drive home, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and felt very grateful to have been included.

 

Comments

[Bridal jewelry, Wedding jewelry sets, Bridesmaid jewelry, Wedding jewelry sets, Bridesmaid Jewelry gifts]

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[Gift Registry]

I have attended many weddings but this has to be by far the most colorful of them all because of the decorations they have.

[South Coast NSW Weddings]

Nice information, a wonderful post regarding. I really appreciate it. I’m a creative person and these are very cute. The ceremony is based on Christian traditions and customs. A prayer is read in local language. This is followed by the bride and groom reciting wedding vows. After the ceremony, the bride and groom signed the registry, made a small speech of thank the singers perform an additional song, to which they sang along. Quite interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing.

[vintage jewelery]

I remember I was in a Brazilian wedding late last year! I was visiting a close friend at Rio DE Janero and it was absoultly amazing! all the dancing, the music, the fashion!