Madeline, the bride 
the flower girls with their baskets filled with candy...
The kiss....with all the cell phones trying to capture the moment it was like the paparazzi chasing celebrities. The bride looked terrified...Haitian weddings are interesting. The invitation said it started at 4 pm however we did not leave home until after 4 pm. Luckily the church wasn't far. However, few of the 40 or so invited guests had arrived so we sat in the car and waited with the air-conditioning keeping us all cool, calm and collected. This is the second wedding I have attended since being in Haiti but the first that I was an actual participant being the 'first lady' or Brides Maid and as well the role of John's mother. I felt honored but not very prepared as we climbed out of the van only to wait another 30 minutes outside the church. We could hear that they were trying to get the music set up properly....meaning to play the Celine Dion cd over the big speakers set up at the edge of the stage. When the first song began 4 couples in matching red wine colored dresses and shirts began a slow practiced dance down the aisle. This seems to be the rage for weddings- they did it at Mercia's daughters wedding too. Steps to the left, steps to the right, cross in front of your partner, turn in a circle and step out, repeat. As they reached the end of the aisle they lined up, waiting. The two flower girls also did a slow dance down the aisle, not to be left out of the show. The Bridesmaid did a slow stroll to Celine and was followed by the cutest little couple ever. As we waited our turn I noticed the decorative balloons, green 'vote for ...', red hearts with 'your a hottie', happy birthday, and even some black over the hill balloons. Plastic flowers along the stage, some still wrapped in plastic. The red carpet down the aisle. Next up the bride, with me at her side. I kept asking shouldn't I go in, walk ahead...no I was her escort and halfway we met John and Al, the best man. John completed the walk up the aisle with Madeline and Al and I followed to two sets of chairs in front of the stage and in front of the crowd, facing each other. We listened the Pastor gave a sermon, another friend gave a reading, several different groups of women sang, more preaching, the vows, more songs, more preaching, exchange of rings and more preaching and more songs. Throughout the show, John looked alternately distracted (as when someone came up to whisper we need to move the van) or like a frightened rabbit caught it the headlights. Madeline was unsmiling and sober, I wasn't sure if she was nervous or felt it wasn't proper to smile at such a serious event. Through out the ceremony, people walked up to take pictures on their cell phones, a little disconcerting at times but less distracting than when they actually were talking on them. When it came time for the KISS, everyone flooded the couple with their phones to capture the moment like paparazzi. Poor Madeline looked like she wanted to flee...but after the 3rd attempt to get it just about right, everyone began congratulating them, surrounding us and she was able to smile. Shortly after 7 pm we were back in the van and heading to the guest house for the reception. Tables were set with food, music blasting from the big speakers and everyone waited while pictures were taken around the cake and we had opened the champagne. Amazingly enough as soon as the food was devoured, everyone departed at once. Jean and Madeline saying good bye, came back to say they needed a ride home, so those remaining piled in the van and Al drove them home. They took the cake with them.
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