Glendi and Joel's wedding

It was a wondeful event last night.

Dwight and I were the Padrinos for the wedding.  Joel , knowing that I am a little time challenged , called me at 4.15pm. to tell me that I had to be at the Muni...where they were having the civil ceremony first...at 5.pm. en punto!

( on the dot.)  

So we got there almost on the dot...5.15pm....we then waited till 5.35 before the wedding party arrived.

Joel arrived with  his family. He looked very handsome in his new suit...and more than a little nervous!

Then Glendy arrived in the Mayan Families car that had been hurriedly decorated with white balloons and streamers. Glendy was sitting in the front seat and it seemed like 20 of her family members were squished in the back seat.

Glendy looked very beautiful .  I will have the photos later this morning to post to picassa.

She was escorted by her uncle and her grandmother.

Her eldest brother, Gerber who has worked at a bakery for a long time, made several of the wedding cakes . He had been up since 2.am. baking.

First they had the civil ceremony which was performed by the mayor of the town. He does a very good wedding ceremony. He talks about the rights and responsiblities of the wife and the husband. He talks about how the scoiety was /is very macho and how a husband should behave without being a machismo.  How he should put his family ahead of his friends etc.  He adds a lot of humor to his wedding ceremony and has the audience often laughing and the couple relaxing a little.

 

After that ceremony, we then walked next door to the Municipal Salon, which was festooned with white balloons and streamers.   Joel has a  very large family and they had all pitched in decorating.  Then began the Evangelical ceremony except that the pastor seemed to be missing and after waiting some time, fortunately, another one was found who could quickly fill in.   Even though he had little time to prepare, this pastor had a least 10 pages of notes and was able to preach for an hour....and then he performed the religious ceremony.  

After that Dwight and I made a very, very brief speech. The couple then stood, we wrapped the veil around Joel's shoulder, thus binding them together. Dwight pulled the string on the large paper mache bell and confetti poured over Joel and Glendy.

 

This was the time that the well wishers formed a long line waiting to give their gifts to the couple and give them their congratulations, hugs and kisses.

The last person to hug Glendy was her big brother, Gerber. It was a very emotional hug for them. They were both crying. Glendy would be leaving the home that they shared and moving in with her new family. Together they have been through the trauma of caring for their mother, losing her and raising their little brothers. 

 

Then lots of plates of delicious Pepian chicken was served.   Joel's mother and his aunts had been cooking for days.

8.am.  yesterday morning, I had a basket of tamales delivered to the door.....then the family had a lunch for the closest family and friends...at least 50 people ...before the wedding.  Then the dinner that fed at least 200 people. Weddings are not small in Guatemala...you have to invite all the family....and this includes a lot of extended family. Everyone brings their children ....so it is a lot of people to feed.

 

Music played, everyone at dinner, then it was the time that the children look at all the balloons and try to find one to pull down, once one goes then everyone starts pulling at the decorations to get their balloon or keepsake to take home!

 

Lots of photos, cake and a very smiling , happy couple. 

I hope their journey together will be a good one.

Thank you for giving Glendy the support that she needed.  I wish  you all could have been there!

Sharon

 

 

Sharon Smart-Poage
MAYAN FAMILIES

a registered 501.(c).(3) Non Profit Charity

Tel: 011-502-7-762-2490 
Mobile: 011-502-4-511-0456
Email: sharon@mayanfamilies.org
Website: www.mayanfamilies.org