Have A Cigar!

Wednesday was Kelly´s wedding. She´s been married for a whole week now, although it is non-ideal that she and Andres have to be separated right after the honeymoon. The next time they see each other, he´ll be in Canada! Anyway, it was a really nice affair. Weddings in Cuba apparently aren´t as big a deal as they are in Canada, so everything was a little more laid-back than the usual (evidence: the priest was an hour late and nobody really got mad). After a quick lunch out, a bunch of the girls went to Kelly´s parents´casa particular to help get her ready. Kayt and Rachael were on hair and makeup, while Christina, maid of honour Viv, and Sarah were in charge of steaming the dress. I didn´t have any particular duties so I was in charge of finding people´s camera battery chargers and such, and taking James Bond photos of all the dudes from Kelly´s family who had dressed up for the occasion.

Team Hair and Makeup

Team Dress.This was just before we discovered that the bouquet had been put in the freezer by our hostess. The flowers wilted dramatically in a matter of minutes, but new ones were acquired.

The ceremony was at a place called Club Almendares, in one of Havana´s leafier outlying areas. The venue was a stage behind a big old club built in what I, who know nothing about architecture, would call a hacienda style. It was open to the air and the temperature and ambience were very tropical , as one side of the venue abutted an absolute wall of greenery. The ceremony was all in Spanish, so I didn´t understand most of it, and fairly short. Kelly and Andres both just looked so happy throughout. Also, the best man, Andres´good friend and Kelly´s "Cuban brother" Pedro, was tearing up in a serious way. I don´t have many good photos from the ceremony because I specialize in getting awkward shots of people exiting hugs or wiping stuff off their shirts, but I did like the one below.There was an extra-special moment for the buck-knife given to me by Katie´s ex-Army friend DJ, who is from Tennessee and insisted that no woman should travel without a knife. I will allow that I was sceptical at the time, but darn if that little knife didn´t get used almost every day on stray threads in shoes, or guavas, or coconuts at the beach. Its crowning moment was when it had the privilege of cutting Kelly and Andres´ wedding cake. This cake was coconut, I believe, and since I adore coconut it was probably the best wedding cake I have ever eaten.

Post-garter shenanigans.
After that, everyone kicked back, smoked a Cohiba, and cut a rug. The Cuban contingent once again distinguished themselves on the dance floor, but the Canadians´enthusiasm during "Cotton Eye Joe" made me smile. Overall, a sterling event! I would go again, but they are probably only allowed to get married once.