Our First Bolivian Wedding!

Saturday a was a full day. After the cooking baking, I quickly went home, cleaned up and showered to get ready for the next activity. We were going to Zulma and Jesus' wedding in the evening. We work with Zulma and were very excited about the wedding. The unit house was buzzing with folks getting ready.

We left at 4:30, because the wedding was scheduled for 5, but we all knew it would start closer to 6. Such a dilemma for us North Americans....we want to arrive early for good seats, but not so early that we're left sitting there for hours.

Once the wedding started, it was beautiful. I was impressed with all the children involved. One carried the bible, another bread to symbolize Jesus as the Bread of Life (not the groom, just wanted to clarify!), another carried flowers, another the rings. I thought all the symbols were very appropriate and unique. The wedding was short and sweet and then we piled into vehicles to head to the reception. There was a program first, before the food, and the evening was getting late. Asha toddled around, almost in an exhausted stupor, but she managed to stay happy. Joel and Kezia were thrilled to sit at a table with only kids. Kezia was mesmerized by Zulma's dress and Joel couldn't have been more happy with the bottles and bottles of pop and the large yard and multitude of boys to play with.

We were eating supper by about 9 o'clock and it was very good. Afterwards, the cake was served. We watched the lady put it together right on the spot; I had never seen a 6 tiered wedding cake put together at the actual venue. It was quite the sight to see.

I found out as they were serving the cake, that those of us that had been name Madrina de Torte were in charge of serving it. Oops! That's me! So I quickly rushed up and went to help serve this amazing cake. Madrina de Torte just means that I was asked, along with a number of other ladies, to pay for and order the wedding cake. You can be named Madrina de Photographia and be in charge of booking and paying for a photographer or taking the pictures yourself. Or Madrina de Aros and pay for the rings of the groom and bride. I think it's a great way to get involved in the wedding, and much more affordable this way for the bride and groom.

The evening went until 10:00 when the hall had to be cleared out for the next group. There were 2 vehicles from MCC that came, so a bunch of us piled in...and we kept piling in and piling in. The Prada can hold 8 people, but we managed to squeeze in 15! I think the last time I did that I was in high school.

We got home exhausted and full and happy for the good time.