Alleluia!

A friend recently asked me if I was going to incorporate my Latino roots in the wedding ceremony despite the fact that half the guests are English speakers, including Mr. Techy.

Great question!

We met with our officiant last month to discuss the wedding ceremony and we opted for a bilingual mass - surprised?

I'm sure you've gathered from my previous posts that my Hispanic heritage is the reason I strive to succeed in both my professional and personal life. So it was expected that I would follow through and incorporate my culture in the ceremony.

It would be unfair to both Mr. Techy and I if the ceremony were monolingual. We want to share this sacrament with our loved ones - and what better way than to make sure they understand what is being said.

The priest will alternate between the two languages, one reading will be in Spanish, the other in English, and the music selected for the vocalist will have verses in both languages. Finally, I'm going to make programs in both languages so the guests can follow along regardless of the language being spoken.

How are you incorporating your heritage in your nuptials?

Saludos!

Miss Cafe

Hiatus

Hello everyone!

I apologize profusely for being on hiatus. Life really got in the way. However, fear not. I'm back!

Thank you to those who've emailed me to check in. I'm so flattered that you're enjoying my random musings. It really motivates me more than you an imagine.

I'm currently editing a few drafts I have saved and will be posting soon!

Saludos,

Miss Cafe

I'm Back

I'm back in NY. Well, I've been back, but just haven't had the chance to update the blog as I've been playing catchup at work and sleeping - a lot! I'll be back soon!

Saludos!

Miss Cafe

Home is where the heart is

I'm going home to Miami tonight (yay!) to tie up some loose wedding ends. Like other brides, I have a LONG to-do list, but only have 96 hours to get it all done. Each second of my time has been strategically scheduled and places have been plotted on a Google map, with minimal breaks and many fast-food stops – Ladies, this is NOT a vacation (booooo!).

Planning a wedding remotely is not easy. It’s a fulltime job. When Mr. Techy and I first moved in together, I offered to be a stay-at-home girlfriend. Of course, Mr. Techy said he needed a little more commitment from me first. So I then offered to be a stay-at-home fiancé and plan the wedding, to no avail. It does sound pretty tempting though, huh?

I’ve been living in New York for almost four years (June 19 is my anniversary!) and continue to refer to Miami as home. It is and will always be. A foundation makes a house, family and friends make a home. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a wonderful relationship with Mr. Techy’s family; they help fill the void between visits to Miami. They live about an hour away so we don’t get to see them as much, but I always look forward to visiting. They’ve opened up their home as if I were one of their own. It’s made being away from my family a little easier to handle.

I’m very independent. I’ve always been. I couldn’t wait for the day I’d be on my own. Don’t get me wrong, my parents aren't overly invasive or strict. But I just needed to be on my own. There’s something so empowering about financially supporting myself, learning to survive and handling situations on my own that I would probably be sheltered from in the comfort of my parent’s house. I refused to move out of their house to then move in with a roommate or a boyfriend.

Living alone was not easy and glamorous. But it really helped me build a lot of character and thick skin. It's also helped me appreciate my parents, a lot more than I already did. I knew that if I survived living on my own, I could do anything! Even plan a "destinational" wedding.

Saludos!

Miss Café

Center of Attention

Believe it or not, I'm shy. I try my hardest to not be the center of attention unless I have no other choice. I'm definitely the behind-the-scenes type of chick. However, I've learned that in order to get what you want, you have to go after it. Period. The chances of the perfect opportunity landing in your lap is very rare. I am where I am today because I've had to put aside my fears, and take the chance. So far, no regrets.

For example, I totally hit on Mr. Techy when I first met him. I have no idea where the boldness came from, but I had nothing to lose. I voluntarily gave him my phone number before he asked for it (except, he didn't get the hint until much later). He was uber shy and thought I was being nice.

As you can imagine, the thought of having a bride and groom's table at the reception makes me slightly uncomfortable. I would rather be in the mix, than on display.

One of my fabulous bridesmaids just told me about a great alternative to a bride/groom's table she found on the flirtyguide.com. As opposed to a table for two, you can add two extra place settings at each table so you can freely hop from one table to the next and mix with your guests.

See below:

(Source)

Genius!

Saludos,

Miss Cafe

Culture Shock

Before introducing Mr. Techy to my family, I needed to mentally prepare him (and pray, a lot). I insisted he watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding for a preview of the type of family he would hopefully be marrying into - if he ever recovered from the culture shock.


Mr. Techy comes from a relatively small Irish-American family. He's from upstate NY where everyone knows their neighbors' name (I don't, do you?), Ma and Pa stores are still open for business, and his senior class totalled 151 students, (that's about the size of my mom's side of the family.) In other words, he's used to a low-key and quiet lifestyle.

Cue in the big, fat, Hispanic family.

My family is everything but low-key and quiet. First of all, they talk over each other. They can juggle at least 3 conversations at the same time without missing a punchline. As the night progresses their voices get louder and louder, because I guess drinking makes you hard of hearing? "Family" gatherings consists of grandparents, cousins, uncles, friends, friends of the family, friends of friends, children, out-of-town guests, in-laws, coworkers and bosses. And that is just for a bbq. Imagine the holidays.

How our families differ:

• Mine live within a mile radius of each other; His family lives miles apart.
  
• My family starts Christmas dinner at midnight; His family's done eating by 2pm.
  
• My family brings alcohol to every occasion (even to a kiddie's birthday party); His family has soda.
  
• My mom is 1 of 10 siblings; His mother is 1 of 4.
• My family knows who's where and with whom; Half his family doesn't know where we live.
• News spreads faster in my family than media alerts from PR Newswire; His family can go days without talking to eachother.
  
• Even if you are full, my family insists you eat more and will send you home with a doggy bag with weeks worth of food; His family takes no for an answer.

But despite all the cultural differences, the Miller and Portokalous family put aside their quirks and just danced. And I know ours will too.

What movie/sitcom exemplifies your family?

Saludos!

Miss Cafe

Las Comadres

If you love to read, network and want meet other cool Latinas in your neighborhood, head on over to Las Comadres Para Las Americas - http://www.lascomadres.org/home_e/index.html.

My friend recently introduced me to this Internet-based Latina Book Club that meets monthly in many US cities. I just signed up and am looking forward to my first meetup!

As we get older, it's harder to make friends, everyone is busy with their own agendas, careers, families and relationships. Book clubs are a fun and relaxing way to meet people with common interests.

I've participated in book clubs in the past and have met many fabulous ladies in my community.

Saludos!

Miss Cafe