Wedding was scheduled at 8:30pm but we reached ard 9pm. Most of the invited guests had arrived in their best suite and gown. The ceremony was held at an outdoor pavillion under the starry sky. Decorated by my favourite white Cala Lilies-simple but stylish.. well. simple put.. the setting was just LOVELY.
90% of Brazilian are Roman Catholic. Most of their wedding ceremonies had been patterned after the modern religious ceremonies, so was this one. Guests seated at 9:15pm sharp, waiting for the Groom. Led by the Preacher, the groom and his mum walked down the aisle first. Then each pair of 'Padrinho' aka witness walked in one by one. This is what the Brazilians do in their weddings. Instead of bridesmaids and groomsmen, they invited couples or match their 'Padrinhos' into couple. These couples are normally the bride or groom's relatives and best friends, they can be husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, brothers and sisters, cousins, or friends, etc who will be sitting in front together with the bride & groom during the ceremony. In this wedding there are 10 pair of 'Padrinhos' altogether. Sucha a grand way of entrance. =)
Then came the flower boy and flower girl holding the bridal bouquet. The cute lil' boy was very nervous thru-out the whole way, his expression is too cute to be described by words. =P
The bride arrived 10 minutes late escorted by her father. Can you imagine if that happened in Singapore? Everyone would be worrying and feeling sorry for the groom. But here, it's expected. A Brazilian wedding ceremony will consist of the Brazilian bride being late at least 10 minutes after the groom has arrived. But the Brazilian brides are not allowed to be more then 30 minutes late for the ceremony. The wedding dress is not meant to be seen by the groom before the wedding as it is considered to be very unlucky which is also common in most other countries
The preacher started his blessing. The blessing was in Portuguese, it sounded so nice and touching even thou i dun understand a single word.
Its then time to exchange the wedding band. Another pretty lil' flower girl brought the wedding rings in a nicely-decorated basket. It is important not to drop the wedding rings, this is considered to show that your wedding won't last if this happens when the Brazilian brides and grooms are at the altar. Rings are used differently in Brazil, they are still on the fingers of course but when you are engaged you shall wear it on your right hand. Only when the the Brazilian brides and grooms finally get married, then you shall tranfer the ring to your left hand's finger.
After exchanging wedding rings, the bride and groom then exchanged vows and signed the wedding certicate. Ceremony was short and simple, but it was really special and beautifully done. I love the bride's gown especially the long veil. It was Sooo lovely dat it made me feel like to get married immediately for the sake of the gown. Ha!
Guests then proceeded to the buffet area where the party was held. Brazilians party bound to have food and drinks. So as a wedding party! There was a crew of waiters serving fingerfoods and beverages. Most of the Brazilian Wedding parties serve only finger food but some do serve full course dinner. We chinese normally give Red Packet to the newly wed, but in Brazil the couple would generate a wishlist online with furniture shop or household item provider. Guest would then purchase online the items chosen by the couple before atttending the wedding party. In case you are curious, generally people are willing to fork out R$100-R$200 to purchase a single or a few items, OR chip in to purchase a big ticket item.
Guest will mingle around, chit-chat, taking pictures while enjoying the foods and drinks. A cute traditional custom on the Brazilian wedding: The bestman cut the groom’s tie and sold pieces of it to the guests to help alleviate some of the wedding/honeymoon cost. =)
The party started about an hours later. There is a dancefloor with DJ's spinning some Samba and techno mix. The dance is different as is the music. The bride and groom dance the pagode, which is a form of samba. This dance is often played at Brazilian wedding ceremonies. Aftermaths, guest joined in, letting their hair down, dancing till drop.
Brazil has some of the most vibrant customs of any country in the world, and the Brazilian wedding ceremony is no exception. Brazilians love to party, and look upon weddings as an opportunity for a personalized Carnival. With its soulful mix of Indian, African, Japanese and European roots and traditions, this multi-faceted melting pot has always represented an exotic, passionate, tropical paradise, between the passion of Carnaval and the Amazon. A Brazilian wedding . . . rich in treasures, tropical outdoor pleasures, and so much more. It was sucha a rollin' good time, i sure enjoyed myself! Best wishes for a life filled with love and happiness for Bruno and Viviane. Felicidades, Amor e Paz!Labels: Brazil, Days of My Life, Shake Ur BomBom
