Love is in the Air

The final weekend of Semana Santa I made my way back home to Chinandega for Holly’s wedding on Saturday the 31^st.   This wedding, unlike any other I have been to,  triggered something with in me and for the first time I saw for my own eyes what I would like to have one day.

As I pass Kim, Holly and her sisters on the way to prep for the wedding my heart skips a beat and I start getting excited for the festivities.  When I pull on to the Coco Loco property a wave of comfort and belonging engulfs me.  I was not sure if I was going to make the wedding on time with Semana Santa traffic and the stress falls from my shoulders.  Holly’s surfer friends greet me with white pore cleansing face masks as they play the guitar in hammocks on the front porch of their cabana.  Instantly loving Holly and Kim’s families and friends we head to where the wedding will take place at La Bahia owned by our friends Jimmy and Lisa just down the beach.  We walk in greeted by a beautiful ocean view and familiar faces.  Holly and Kim brew their own beer and made an amazingly hoppy beer for the occasion to accompany Lisa’s signature cocktail-passionfruit and rum.  Non-traditionally we all mingle over drinks with the bride and the groom before the ceremony.   Holly is wearing a simple white Marilyn Monroe style dress to her knees.  My jewelry ladies made a beautiful necklace of shells that covered Holly’s chest.  Her matching earrings and bracelet also have the same sea-foam beads that match Kim’s linen shirt.

Casually around sunset we all walk barefoot down to the edge of the property covered in birch trees looking  out over the bay where we surf.  Under a simple halapa Holly and Kim share their vows with each other, just them, no on else was involved in the ceremony.  Holly’s sister and Kim’s brother each share a special story about when they met their siblings’ spouse-to-be.  Their puppy Lobo was waits patiently in the half circle of folks that gathered around to witness the event.  At the couples signal he runs up with the rings tied to his collar.  Instead of “I-dos” Holly and Kim had made a wedding wine of calala, honey and gang to toast with.  We raise or hand carved glasses of jicaro seeds to toast to the couple's future together.

As the sun sets photos were taken, we smoked cigars and sipped our wine with the newly wed couple.  After the sun sets we make our way back to the pool for a candle lit dinner made by the amazing staff of Coco Loco.  They served fish tropical from the fisherman, nacatamales made by Victor’s mother, local leafy greens and much more.  Coco Loco's famous carrot-almond-cacao cake is served for desert just before the dance party. 

Jackie, Nikki and I make moves to get people going and before ya knew the entire wedding party is on the dance floor and the host Jimmy is pouring rum in to everyone’s mouth as he makes is way around the dance floor.  At one point the groom stops him abruptly and makes him par-take in his own activity.  One of Holly’s friends performs a break dance and every one has their chance to show-off inside the dance circle. 

Finally we make our way back to Coco Loco along the moonlit beach only to find ourselves back at the beach for skinny dipping.  The bioluminescence I had experienced on the Atlantic coast earlier in the week were even more intensified.  As we swim out to sea a continuous glow follows our bodies.

It was a beautiful wedding. It was small, simple, intimate, and real.  No unnecessary people were there or extra words said that didn’t need to be said.  Everyone felt the same about the bride and groom and the amount of love that they bring to the community.  Everything was connected, from the waves behind the couple as they married, to the brew served, to the jewelry made by local shells that Holly wore.  It was personal beyond words for everyone who came and shared the joy.