The preparations (from my perspective) actually started in Cancun the previous week when I helped Claudia put together the envelopes which would be displayed at the guest book table to receive regalos de dinero. This task was a piece of cake!
Upon arrival in Bacalar, I walked the short distance from Casita Carolina to El Manati, the restaurant/artist colony/gift shop owned by the bride (Claudia's sister ) and groom, Isa and Abe. This was on Monday afternoon, a full four days before most of the guests were coming in to town from far and wide. I offered my services to Isa and received a warm "if I think of something I'll let you know". I understand the difficulty of delegating last minute logistics-she was in charge and needed to concentrate, so I relaxed and enjoyed two days of lakeside R&R at my hotel while the wedding plans went on.
On Tuesday I went in to El Manati for breakfast and sat in the lovely garden area out back where Isa and Abe had recently designed and had built a unique palapa that served as a private dining area and a larger than life sized piece of art. Another table in the garden was hosting the groom's parents who had just arrived in town.
Clau and Eric arrived on Wednesday with Lupita and a birthday cake - it was ALSO Abe's birthday today. We went to the first group gathering after dinner at El Manati - a time for them to share their beautiful space with family and local friends. Abe is an artist creating large sculptures with natural materials. Here is one on display for sale inside the building
and you can see one on a pole behind my head in the outdoor seating area picture. After dark the outdoor palapa and garden area served as a comfortable place for the "kids" to congregate and for me to attempt to understand group conversation.
Thursday was another day of rest for Eric, Clau and I while mother and bride went to Chetamul, a larger town
nearby to do nails and other wedding errands. A bride needs her mother for things like that.
Friday was a busy day for setup. We all went to Rancho Alegre, the outdoor wedding venue about 10 minutes out of town.
It is in a beautiful spot on the lake, and is a fairly undeveloped resort - they had to hire in a big generator for electricity
in the kitchen / palapa eating area and for lights and amplification for the band.
The chicas were weaving palm branches for decorations on the floor of the big palapa,
so being the enthusiastic knitter I am, I figured this was one way I could help. I sat down and worked to
weave one half of a 12 foot palm branch after getting instructions for an easy to learn skill. This task was fun!
They used other plant leaves to make table seating assignment signs
and they hollowed out dozens of pineapples to use as the base for flower center pieces for the tables and added
the pineapple fruit to the munchies tray to be eaten before dinner.
Friday night was the first official wedding event. I was introduced to many people, some I remember faces, others I even remember names,
but very few were I able to understand while they were having family reunion conversations with each other.
I did engage one on one with many people to demonstrate my willingness to attempt to communicate and as usual received encouragement and compliments about being understood or about having improved since I was here last year.
The family's kindness and enthusiastic right-cheek-to-right-cheek greetings upon arrival and departure at every event ( like they greeted everybody) left me confident I was welcome.
Congratulations to the newlyweds! thanks
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