We did it!

Ta-da!!

All last week was really busy, not just because we got married :), but also because my entire family was in town!  It was a crazy, fun filled, stressful week.

The actual ceremony day got off to a rocky start from the night before.  Pollito's suit should have been ready at least on Monday to have the final fitting and stuff.  Unfortunately it wasn't ready until Wednesday afternoon and when he went to go pick it up it they had finished the wrong suit and it wasn't ready.  They asked him to come back the following day...Thursday, ie. wedding day.  Then they said he should return in two hours so that they could finish it.  We were both hoping that everything was perfect, but even if it wasn't Pollito would still have to wear it. In the end it was ok, and the suit turned out great, but it was what turned out to be the first of a few wedding scares.

The morning of, I had arranged to go with my sister-in-law and mom to the hair salon really early in the morning for hair and make up.  It started off great and I had high hope that they would work fast and we would be out in an hour.  After all the hair I had ordered was not too complex and I had really natural make-up in mind as well.  I think that I told the woman like 5 times that we had to be finished at a certain time.  By the time we got out we just had time to throw our dresses on, grab jewelry and run out the door.

Another thing that was a little scary was that the flowers that I had ordered a week before WERE NOT READY.  I have even called them to confirm that they would be ready the day before.  However, with the lagging of the salon, they flowers actually arrived before we finished hair and makeup.  Sighs of relief.

The morning was so hot that I was sweating before we even go to the city hall in the park.  Pollito kept dabbing his face with his handkerchief and everyone looked a little limp.

When we arrived at the park/city hall (the marriage department is located in a government building in a huge park) we met our photographer, who was an old teacher's aid that Pollito had in university.  We then gathered everyone together and went inside the building.

The officiant seemed to be a little flustered and the room was sweltering.  We opened the window and turned on the air while the officiant moved in and out of the room looking for what we thought was a...pencil?  Whatever it was he found it...and he motioned for us to start the ceremony.  I walked in with my dad, which is something that I hadn't planned ahead of time, but was really glad I did.

The officiant then proceeded to read laws and the meaning of marriage and the different sections of marriage law.  I felt bad for my family because they couldn't understand anything.  We we have the religious ceremony we will have to work something out...we reminded the guy that we were going to exchange rings and he was just like...yea...yea.  And carried on.  Then he brought out more little prompt cards and asked if we had the rings.  My nephew dutifully came up with the gigantic ring box and we read off the cards.  Then the officiant read us some passages from the bible and from some Hindu readings and I must say that I agree more with the Hindu readings about being together, separate.

Then it was over and we were married!!! Hurray!!  Pollito and Reina forever and ever.

We had a nice toast with my beloved petit fours that my mom brought all the way down from the US and Champagne and sparkling juice.  And then we retired for photos around the park and lunch at the Costa Verde Restaurant basically on the beach with nice sea breezes and views of the coast.

A little bit of the view.

Everyone gorged themselves, in a polite manner, on the great food that this restaurant has.  They claim the Guinness World Record for most types of dishes on a Buffet..who knew such an award existed?

We finished the day taking pictures in the "Fiance Bay", a cute little hokey park by Pollito's mom's house where they have a chair that is made like a conjoined throne and if you sit on it you can see a crown rising up from behind you.  During the night on weekends it is teeming with brides taking pictures.  Pollito said he would die before he went to take pictures there, that it is super "huachafa" (corny and sappy), but since its my wedding too, we went and took some pictures....the crown one is til on its way

Mareweed!!

Hey mom! I'm in the paper!

Our official announcement in the paper!

We are getting really good at being official.  

The last part of our civil ceremony ordeal, was to get the announcement and have it published in some newspaper.  We were supposed to get it last Friday, but we have forgotten that other people can be the impediments to our progress.  They called us on Friday and said it wouldn't be ready until Monday.  I called 4 times on Monday to see when it would be ready, and by the time it was, it was too late to go down and get it.

So I went on Tuesday to pick it up and then I went with Pollito's mom to get the thing published.  It cost 35 soles and the man said it would be in the paper on Wednesday.  Yuppi!

Today, on the way to work at 6:45am we bought a paper from a guy on the street.  All of the announcements look the same and they all have the same official wording.  You have to look for your district on the top of the little box and then look for your names in capital letters.  There was a little confusion yesterday with the man who took the announcement about the dates, so when I didn't see our announcement on the first page I was a little worried.

But then I turned the page and I found it towards the bottom.  Yay!! Its sooooo official to see it in print. Basically, in very formal language, it says that Mr. Carlos Saenz Muñiz, from whatever place, of whatever profession, living in whatever house, and Miss. Elizabeth Helen Joe Hatayama, from whatever place, of whatever profession, living in whatever house, intend to be married and that whosoever has a reason that they should not be married should file a complaint in the appropriate way within 8 days.

I took the page today to the marriage people and asked if there was anything else we needed to turn in and they said "no", so we are set for marriage on Feb. 16!  See you at the courthouse!