It was amazing that people came from all over the world to be with us and party so hard - Respect! But it wouldn't have been possible without the people from next door and down the road, the local people didn't get the mention they all deserved. So here is a small mention for the people who worked their tushes off and made our day absolutely perfect:
It has to start with my dress, Elspeth you are an inspired and gifted seamstress and made me feel special in two parts. Firstly the love, effort and time (not to mention money for all that fabric!) that went into my skirt and secondly how wearing it made me feel like a princess. Thank you so so much.
From mother to daughter and my best friend and wife. Gaberoo, you who were in the emotional wedding spirit from the first glass of champagne when we were getting ready to that much needed cup of tea later on in the day, all your love and time you gave me, running me to fittings, flowers and countless other places and still finding time to make Djalma and I feel special (and fat!) with all your gorgeous cooking. Your cake was so gorgeous and so damn good - proven by the fact that all the hungry pigs at our wedding demolished it (was very upset that I didn't eat as much as I wanted too, although I did have some of both and they were heaven!). People also commented on the fact that it was unheard of to not have any left overs let alone it being hoovered up so quickly - testament to your foodie goddessness. I loved it all and I love you, even when you were teary eyed which prompting me to cry at crucial moments on that stage!
There are so many other people as well - all of whom can expect a little something in the post as well as a little mention here:
Dad!!! For funding everything, bringing his lovely girlfriend and a beautiful father/daughter dance.
Our neighbours Jo and Paul who were with us until the wee small hours of the morning of the wedding as well as the night before getting everything ready, along with Sarah and Sam their lovely kids (although not kids anymore!). They put in such serious work and were so generous with their time and energy that without them we would probably still be decorating the hall, let alone have time for a wedding! Thank you!
Teresa and Dave, Rebecca and Robert, Jude and Paul who all helped throughout the day and night whether it was organising food/drink/hairclips/the enormous mess at the end. And not to forget Mum's friends, Nina, Viv and Ruth who willingly came only to work, what amazing people.
I've saved the best till last, my Mum. What an incredibly amazing and generous woman. She has done so much, given up so much time, driven us, organised things, made suggestions but never interfered and didn't snap at me when I was overcome with bridal burdens. I could not wish for a more wonderful Mum not least because I don't think it is possible for a person to be any more wonderful, or generous, or loving or kind. I am blessed and so is Djalma - we love you Mum!
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Secondly, I'll be starting at the start which, of course, begins with bridal preparations!
Our visa refusals did indeed have a silver lining, although the cloud did seem to overwhelm it at first, not having a church wedding opened up so many different options to us. So we picked and chose the elements of traditional English and Brazilian weddings plus anything else we decided we liked for our own, this included spending the night, prior to the wedding, apart. Instead I spent the night with Rosie (a.k.a Red Fox) cuddling up to her, then remembering in my sleepy haze that she wasn't my boyfriend, and moving back to my side of the bed. Sorry Rosie your bum just wasn't hairy enough!
Despite the 3am finish decorating the hall the previous night, everyone was up early and back at wedding work by 8 o'clock. For me this meant taking my make-up-less face and turbaned head out to our back garden and hacking down some bamboo to line the aisle I would soon be walking up. Kate came out to keep me company and decided a photo would be in order (to remind me just how awful I looked before all the make-up got slapped on later).
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| From Our Wedding Day! |
Garden work finished and manicure still intact, I waited with my enormous bag, for my ride to the hotel with Kate and Gabs to begin much needed work to make myself presentable. A minor hiccup and a little wait later me and my girls were in 'the room at the top' in what is the old Hog's Back Hotel. I jumped in the shower to relax and get clean only to be papped round the shower curtain by Susanna, in quite possibly the most unflattering pose ever (I will be making sure that that photo NEVER sees the light of day), needless to say she was cussed out of the bathroom while I turned the air blue around me, very dignified, very bridal. Not. By this point the glorious weather outside was making the air inside so warm as to be uncomfortable, but we soldiered on, applying the brightest of blues and the spring-est of greens eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, concealer, blusher and anything else we thought would make us look pretty. Then for the hair... the previous evening before we left for the hall I spent a good hour with my (now) mother-in-law, ragging my hair, pulling my hair out and swearing. If you're not sure what 'ragging' is - it involves taking sections of hair, wrapping the tip in a long rag and twisting it round till it reaches the head and tying it up so it curls - it takes along time and makes your arms very tired! The hair done, I was helped into my clothes - I'm not sure I could've done it by myself - tied into my shoes and then I minced down the stairs to where my carriage awaited.
Michael, my most amazing little brother (and now Djalma's) had cleaned out his car, decorated it with white ribbon, was waiting for us outside all dressed up looking very smart. He whisked up up the road to the hall where we unloaded ourselves, very late (and there was I thinking we'd be doing it on 'English time') and took up positions ready for the long short walk up the aisle, arrrrrgh! Nerves!
From what I can remember, in between trying not to cry, trip over or walk too fast, the room looked amazing and it was such a warm beautiful feeling to walk through a sea of faces from people who'd travelled from next door, different parts of the country, Europe, Russia, Australia and Brazil to see me and Djalma make our promises and commitments to each other. Cripes, I'm feeling tearful enough now just thinking about it and I definitely cried enough on the day! Well, we all made it up the bamboo and wine bottle lined aisle, I almost lost it on the steps up to the stage when I trod on my skirt - it was difficult to see through all the curls and the tears! But I got there and remembered to look at Djalma - a sight to remember in that kilt. Because we'd left everything to the last minute and left out a rehearsal run of the ceremony people weren't too sure who would start things off and although I'd written out a brief order of service I couldn't string two thoughts together for the life of me (I was still thinking, don't cry and don't trip up). Things whizzed by with readings from the bibles by our mothers and some lovely messages from our fathers, then it was time for our vows. I'd decided that Djalma could say his first and I would follow his example but when we was up there I thought that I should, after all, go first. There was a slight hiccup when I realised that I hadn't remembered the bracelet I'd made in lieu of a wedding ring, oops! Gabs ran off to get it and Berna saved the day by publicly requesting that we take the Borges-Martins DNA round the world (all in good time Mãezinha!). During this little request I was feeling pretty confident that I'd beaten the tears and that I would be able to read out my vows, slowly, clearly and without any trembling or quavering... fool! Halfway through my first line (read from a little piece of paper I'd folded up and kept close to my heart under my corset) my chin started to wobble, I choked up and that was it, I was fighting a losing battle from there on for my voice. I very much doubt that anyone heard me, even in the front row, but most importantly Djalma did. For those that didn't this is what I said:
'I take you, Djalma, to be my friend, my lover, the father of my children and my husband.
I will be yours to love and depend on what ever situation we face, we’ll face it together in times of plenty or want, in times of sickness and or health, in times of joy or sorrow, in times of failure or triumph.
Never ask me to leave you, or to return from following after you, because where you go I go, and where you stay I stay.
I promise to cherish and respect you, even if I don’t always agree with you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and be with you for the rest of my days.
Wear this bracelet and think of me knowing that I love you.' That bracelet was tied on with a VERY shaky hand!
Djalma's vows went a bit like this:
'Sarah, we've been through a lot to get here. Lots of difficulties but lots of fun as well. When I look back even trying to overcome problems has been fun by your side.
As any couple we have differences. In our case, lots of them, some of which are quite annoying for both of us. What I'm trying to say is I don't want to be annoyed by or annoy anyone else. I love our differences. They make us stronger I promise to be faithful and love and annoy only you although some people may disagree on the latter.
We're about to go on a long exciting adventure through lots of different places. They say home is where the heart is. In my case home is where you are.
In fact the ultimate adventure starts now, here, in front of our families and friends and will last for the rest of lives,
Sarah do you want to share my life and be my wife ("I do") - hopefully. This band symbolises our bond, a full circle in which we don't know where one life and the next begins'.
All sealed with a kiss, I'm surprised I didn't cry myself into a big red puffball there and then although I did a good job trying, we went outside and slowly organised ourselves into receiving lots of hugs and kisses, after 50 of which I got a bit worried that the right side of my hair was going flat. After that the Pimms came out and the party started and what an amazing party (the surrounding neighbours enjoyed the Brazilian funk, thank you DJ Ze Dami you are a LEGEND!). More about the party later, I think that as well as George Macphearson's and Djalma's willies deserve a special mention - I don't think Djalma's has had quite so much fresh air in a long while!
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| From Our Wedding Day! |
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