A wedding like no other
[brief interlude]
Where was I?
Yes, well those avid readers (all 4 of you) will remember back to Nepal where I was paddling down a babbling mountain brook for 10 days with 7 other people (A week in Nepal). The trilingual doctor couple from the states and I got on famously and met up afterwards in Kathmandu. They mentioned in passing that they would be getting married in central America the following summer. Ever the reluctant wallflower I said marvellous and I hinted that I would be expecting an invitation with a wry smile on my face.
Fast forward 6 months or so and an letter drops through my box with a strange stamp on it. On further inspection it is from the states and has a happy couple staring back at me from the stamp. On even closer inspection it turns out that the couple are indeed Geoffrey and Liisa, my intrepid rafting partners. Talk about land of the free - letting you print your own stamps?! Letter is ripped open and out plops a beautiful invitation asking for my presence in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica on the 15th June 2008. I don't have to be asked twice, so upstairs I went and 14 clicks later I had my flights sorted.
Fast forward another couple of months and I am sitting in the lounge at sexy Newark airport sipping on a Bloody Mary when a beep beep on my Blackberry alerts me to the fact that there is an urgent missive awaiting my perusal. It is from the groom and he says "So Liisa and I were wondering if you would officiate the wedding".
I was a tad squiffy at this stage, and not really knowing what "officiate" meant (Quick speech? Tell people where to stand? Sign something? Pay for the drinks??), I duly replied "Let's do it" and thought nothing more of it.
48 hours later I arrived a little shaken, but not stirred in the lovely Puerto Viejo. I get off in the centre of the town and realise it's a good 2 mile hike south, so I sling my rucksack and ramble on down the dusty road. It's a beautiful walk, a mixture of rainforest and stunning beaches. Parrots flying round the canopy and crabs playing Russian roulette on the road, shaking their claws furiously at any passing car. Love their spirit. I arrive parched and dusty only to be hugged by bride and groom. Fantastic to see them after all this time and half way round the world. The festivities begin, I'm the last to arrive, so I'm introduced to the entire wedding party. Tennessee, Oregon, Washington, L.A., Brazil, Puerto Rico, Germany... It's only 30 people or so, but they are from all over the place and all extremely friendly. We move on to dinner down town, more beers are imbibed and soon we are all decidedly intoxicated. With that Liisa, the blushing bride comes up to me and hands me the wedding speech. All 2.. 4.. 6.. 8! pages of it... I become a bit more sober, but decided to put off the inevitable till the next morning and dance on into the night.
The next thing I know it is 9am and the bride's sister is knocking on my door telling me that we are leaving for the "church" in 2 hours. Cue cold showers, slaps to the face and a frantic searching for my jeans to prepare the speech. After finding out that the pages were in the wrong order I calm down and start to get a bit more fluid. Fortunately there are no big words for which I would require a dictionary. The wedding party gathers and we all hop into cars to drive to the rainforest lodge where the ceremony is taking place. I have a small surreal moment as I sit in the car with 4 American girls who all start singing "Going to the church". Gradually I start to realise the enormity of what I am supposed to do.
The party files down to the beach where I am going to do "my thing" and with receding hangover and advancing nerves the congregation amasses. The location is amazing - a small sliver of beach with a pristine rainforest behind. Howler monkeys bouncing round the trees like misbehaving school kids.
Geoffrey turns up in his linen handmade-in-India suit and smiles meekly at me. A couple of minutes later Liisa appears through the trees, being lead by her father and looking beautiful. She arrives, beams at Geoffrey and winks at me. I clear my throat one last time and the games begin. Vows are made, speeches are read, rings are exchanged and about 20 minutes later I say "By the power vested in me [grin madly at the couple] I pronounce you man and wife". The couple hug wildly, Geoffrey lifts Liisa up into the air, they give each other a big smooch and off we run back to the lodge for some well earned champagne.
The evening turns out to be every bit as fantastic as the day, with Jacuzzis, monkeys, sloths, dancing, great food and of course lots of drinks.
Some pictures here
Where was I?
Yes, well those avid readers (all 4 of you) will remember back to Nepal where I was paddling down a babbling mountain brook for 10 days with 7 other people (A week in Nepal). The trilingual doctor couple from the states and I got on famously and met up afterwards in Kathmandu. They mentioned in passing that they would be getting married in central America the following summer. Ever the reluctant wallflower I said marvellous and I hinted that I would be expecting an invitation with a wry smile on my face.
Fast forward 6 months or so and an letter drops through my box with a strange stamp on it. On further inspection it is from the states and has a happy couple staring back at me from the stamp. On even closer inspection it turns out that the couple are indeed Geoffrey and Liisa, my intrepid rafting partners. Talk about land of the free - letting you print your own stamps?! Letter is ripped open and out plops a beautiful invitation asking for my presence in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica on the 15th June 2008. I don't have to be asked twice, so upstairs I went and 14 clicks later I had my flights sorted.
Fast forward another couple of months and I am sitting in the lounge at sexy Newark airport sipping on a Bloody Mary when a beep beep on my Blackberry alerts me to the fact that there is an urgent missive awaiting my perusal. It is from the groom and he says "So Liisa and I were wondering if you would officiate the wedding".
I was a tad squiffy at this stage, and not really knowing what "officiate" meant (Quick speech? Tell people where to stand? Sign something? Pay for the drinks??), I duly replied "Let's do it" and thought nothing more of it.
48 hours later I arrived a little shaken, but not stirred in the lovely Puerto Viejo. I get off in the centre of the town and realise it's a good 2 mile hike south, so I sling my rucksack and ramble on down the dusty road. It's a beautiful walk, a mixture of rainforest and stunning beaches. Parrots flying round the canopy and crabs playing Russian roulette on the road, shaking their claws furiously at any passing car. Love their spirit. I arrive parched and dusty only to be hugged by bride and groom. Fantastic to see them after all this time and half way round the world. The festivities begin, I'm the last to arrive, so I'm introduced to the entire wedding party. Tennessee, Oregon, Washington, L.A., Brazil, Puerto Rico, Germany... It's only 30 people or so, but they are from all over the place and all extremely friendly. We move on to dinner down town, more beers are imbibed and soon we are all decidedly intoxicated. With that Liisa, the blushing bride comes up to me and hands me the wedding speech. All 2.. 4.. 6.. 8! pages of it... I become a bit more sober, but decided to put off the inevitable till the next morning and dance on into the night.
The next thing I know it is 9am and the bride's sister is knocking on my door telling me that we are leaving for the "church" in 2 hours. Cue cold showers, slaps to the face and a frantic searching for my jeans to prepare the speech. After finding out that the pages were in the wrong order I calm down and start to get a bit more fluid. Fortunately there are no big words for which I would require a dictionary. The wedding party gathers and we all hop into cars to drive to the rainforest lodge where the ceremony is taking place. I have a small surreal moment as I sit in the car with 4 American girls who all start singing "Going to the church". Gradually I start to realise the enormity of what I am supposed to do.
The party files down to the beach where I am going to do "my thing" and with receding hangover and advancing nerves the congregation amasses. The location is amazing - a small sliver of beach with a pristine rainforest behind. Howler monkeys bouncing round the trees like misbehaving school kids.
Geoffrey turns up in his linen handmade-in-India suit and smiles meekly at me. A couple of minutes later Liisa appears through the trees, being lead by her father and looking beautiful. She arrives, beams at Geoffrey and winks at me. I clear my throat one last time and the games begin. Vows are made, speeches are read, rings are exchanged and about 20 minutes later I say "By the power vested in me [grin madly at the couple] I pronounce you man and wife". The couple hug wildly, Geoffrey lifts Liisa up into the air, they give each other a big smooch and off we run back to the lodge for some well earned champagne.
The evening turns out to be every bit as fantastic as the day, with Jacuzzis, monkeys, sloths, dancing, great food and of course lots of drinks.
Some pictures here
Labels: Costa Rica, Travel
posted by Andrew at
13:14
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