Here are some photos taken by my cousin AJ from the days leading up to the wedding, and a couple from our first days as Mr. and Mrs. Amaro. I love how each person's photos capture a different aspect of our time in Rio. There was so much going on, not even the professional photographer and his assistant managed to record all of the special moments!
My stepmom Laura and my Dad out on the town. It was their first time in Brasil, and my cousins AJ and Renaud - veteran travelers - very kindly acted as tour guides and showed them the city.
My aunt Cynthia (my dad's sister) and her daughter Libby (1 of my 3 first cousins), with a slightly hazy view of Sugarloaf in the background.
On the Thursday before our wedding, my family gathered for a lunch at Porcão Rio's, the most famous churrascaria in Rio. It was the first time in my *entire life* that all of my family members to whom I am close were sitting at the same table, not to mention it was the first time they've all been on the same continent at the same time! There were some people missing (my step-siblings, my stepdad, and a few distant cousins with whom I am in contact) but it was certainly the first time I've had all of my close blood relatives together.
My aunt Michelle and my uncle Hugh (my mom's brother - we all still call him Unc, a vestige of my childhood nickname for him). They are the coolest aunt and uncle ever. They have been incredibly supportive of me and Rico from the very beginning, and we wish so much that we lived closer to them.
While Unc and Aunt Michelle were looking very chic in black at the lunch, my Dad and Laura were fresh and clean in white. I hadn't actually noticed the color combos until I saw the photos. You can see a notebook and pen in my dad's pocket - he always carries them around to take note of movie recommendations, things to google, books to read, specs of the flash disk somebody is trying to track down, etc. It makes me laugh, because while I don't carry a notebook in my pocket, I have the same habit of list-making.
These are my other 2 first cousins, Jeff and Lauren. They are Unc and Michelle's children, and look just like their parents! Lo always jokes that we don't resemble each other, but in these photos I think I finally have the evidence to prove her wrong. :) I can't quite put my finger on it, but we definitely look like we're related.
My mom and my cousin Renaud. He is married to AJ, who technically is my second cousin once removed (yes, we did take the time one day over tea to figure out exactly how we're related). Despite the relatively distant connection, I am extremely close to AJ and Renaud. It makes me understand the practice in many cultures of designating the people you are closest to as "tio" or "tia", honorary aunts and uncles.
Three generations of women. Me, my mama, and her mother - my Grammy. My grandmother made it to Rio in all of her 86-year-old glory. She came all the way from Italy, where she lives in our family home near Trieste.
Three generations plus "tia" AJ, representing the Swiss-Mexican side of our family. My Grammy and AJ's mother are first cousins. AJ and my mom are second cousins. Did you follow that?
My Dad and Laura enjoying a lunch at Guimas in Ipanema on our second day as Mr. and Mrs. Amaro. I can't get over how happy they look in all the photos, especially my Dad. He is simply beaming!
The newlyweds: exhausted, but happy.
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