Jewish Wedding at MAM Rio de Janeiro: Michelle and Arthur
Our Story
I began my career in the marketing department at L’Oréal. At that time, I was taking French classes with a beloved teacher, Josie Doval. Arthur was also studying French with Josie to prepare for the UFRJ exchange program. His dream was to spend time abroad studying in another country. Our lives were very different then: I was already working, while Arthur was still studying engineering. Josie often mentioned her production-engineering student at UFRJ—handsome, polite, a guitar player. She kept talking him up and saying we were perfect for each other, but I never took it very seriously.
At that time fate seemed to be working against us. I was dating someone else, and so was he. Shortly afterward, I ended my relationship, and he left for an exchange program in France. I also spent time studying abroad, so our paths went in different directions. I believe everything happens at the right moment! One day, after my French lesson at work, Josie invited me to have a beer at a little bar in Copacabana.
It seemed terribly inconvenient because I worked downtown, lived in Barra da Tijuca and, worst of all, didn't even drink beer—only Coca-Cola (I don't drink alcohol at all! Arthur is always teasing me because he wants company for a good glass of wine). What would I do in Copacabana? I was also exhausted after a hard week at work. It was exactly the kind of day when I'd worn the worst outfit in my wardrobe, simply because it was the most comfortable. I just wanted to work and go home. But Josie insisted, and she's so persuasive that eventually I agreed!
When we arrived at the little bar, she headed toward a table that, by coincidence, wasn't empty! There sat a handsome young man holding a box of chocolates. I couldn't understand what was going on.
They greeted each other. She asked about his exchange program, and he said it had gone very well, handing over the chocolates as a thank-you. Suddenly I put everything together: she wanted to introduce us and had arranged the whole thing! I hadn't imagined she would be so direct. She took the chocolates, had her picture taken with Arthur, and said, 'Mi and Arthur, I've really wanted you two to meet.'
'You're perfect for each other, so make the most of it. Bisous!' Then she left! I froze. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. Arthur has an irresistible smile and, even better, such interesting conversation. We spent hours talking about his travels, mine, and the internship in financial markets he was excited to begin. He didn't know it yet, but I was already sure he'd be my boyfriend! It was love at first sight.
In modern times there are no more flowers or letters in the mail; instead I waited for him to add me on Facebook, and it took three whole days! I nearly died of anticipation. When the request finally arrived, I wanted to make my interest unmistakable, so I replied by inbox: 'You're more than added!' Then came the long-awaited invitation to go out, and soon we began dating.
The Marriage Proposal
Our song is 'Fly Me to the Moon' by Frank Sinatra. We love Frank Sinatra, and every time this song plays, we stop whatever we're doing and start dancing! We look like two crazy people dancing out of nowhere. This song was the theme of the proposal (which is on our website, www.michelleearthur.com.br).
We were in Rome, and Arthur told me he'd made a special reservation at a restaurant renowned for Mediterranean cuisine. It was wonderful, with views of the Villa Borghese gardens and the Vatican. We had the best table, with a perfect view of the sunset! The setting was very romantic, with gentle lounge music in the background. We had dinner, and at the end of the evening the music changed and 'Fly Me to the Moon' began playing. I started crying; he smiled and kissed me. Two waiters came carrying special covered serving dishes. After the countdown 'Uno, due, tre,' they lifted the lids. Under one was a dessert reading 'Principessa mi vuoi sposare' ('Princess, will you marry me?'); under the other was a beautiful little box with the most perfect ring in the world! Arthur knelt down and asked the most important question of our lives. With absolute certainty, I said YES! Everyone in the restaurant applauded and cried. It turned into an enormous celebration, haha!
What was it like planning the wedding, managing doubts and expectations, and hiring professionals?
It was wonderful! It's such a lovely phase, and the secret is surrounding yourself with skilled professionals who love what they do. I started organizing our wedding a year in advance. We got engaged in June 2016 and set the wedding date in September 2017.
My mother was essential throughout the entire process. She accompanied me and embraced the madness of planning every detail together. I also had the invaluable professionalism of Flávia Cavaliere of Cerimoniale. Her expertise made everything easier and the final result unforgettable! I met Flávia by chance and it was love at first sight. I always felt I could trust her and saw the sparkle in her eyes when she worked. Every professional I hired was approved by her. To help make decisions, I researched blogs and magazines and asked friends.
How did you feel on your wedding day before everything began, and what did you think when you heard your entrance music behind closed doors?
We stopped talking to each other two days before the wedding. I believe that anticipation is important: it makes the big day even more emotional! Arthur got ready at home with his parents, while I prepared with my mother and grandmother at the Copacabana Palace. My day was calm and wonderful. My advice is to relax and trust the team you've hired. There's no point stressing over details! By the wedding day, everything that needed to happen was already in place.
My ceremony and reception were both at MAM. When I arrived at the entrance, I felt huge butterflies in my stomach, but I also couldn't wait to go in!
Wedding at MAM
What was it like for you to experience getting married?
It was wonderful and unforgettable! For me, the most memorable moment of the entire process was choosing my dress. I work in advertising and I've always been very decisive. From the beginning I had an idea of how I wanted my dress to reflect my style and personality.
I arrived at my first appointment with Carol with an entire mood board of references, types of lace and accessories. But while waiting at reception, before going in, I stopped and thought: even before I got engaged, I'd followed Carol's work and loved everything she designed. I decided to give her complete freedom to create my dress. Giving a talented person creative freedom is a recipe for success!
My veil was very light and matched my pearl-and-crystal headpiece. The train could be lifted, and at the party I threw myself into dancing without fear! This is the moment when you should enjoy yourself fully. The sleeves were detachable, which would have made the dress shorter and more comfortable for the dance floor, but I loved the way I looked with sleeves so much that I decided not to remove them! I wore them all night and danced without restrictions.
My tip for anyone looking for the perfect wedding dress is to trust the designer you've chosen. Find someone whose personality and style complement yours, who radiates happiness and works with love. Then you can't go wrong! I adored Carol Hungria and her whole team. Collecting my finished dress was a particularly special and memorable moment. Everyone in the atelier came downstairs to hand it over, and there were tears all around. I'll never forget how lovingly the team treated me!
On the wedding day, the moment that moved me most was exchanging vows. It was beautiful and deeply emotional!
My advice to other brides is:
Choose suppliers who have that sparkle in their eyes and spread positive energy! It makes everything easier on the big day. Once you enter the party, forget everything else and enjoy every minute. It's a unique, unforgettable moment that will stay with you for life!
Best Moments
The celebration was unforgettable, with so many remarkable moments!
1 – First came the entrance of the twelve flower girls and page boys. It was wonderfully chaotic! The girls carried handmade cloth dolls from the 'Bonecas de Propósito' project.
2 – The second unforgettable moment was the traditional breaking of the glass during the Jewish ceremony! At the end, everyone shouted 'Mazal Tov,' and the celebration began.
3 – We chose a song bursting with energy to open the reception and entered to 'The Song,' which got everyone excited. This is a great tip: start the dance floor with lively music to bring all the guests to their feet!
4 – Immediately afterward, we danced to our song, 'Fly Me to the Moon' by Frank Sinatra, with choreography by Gil Rangel. It was a dream, and because all our guests knew our song, it was very emotional. It's the same song from the proposal, and we've danced to it since we met!
5 – Just after our dance, the groom gave me a beautiful surprise! He played a song he'd composed about our story, alongside my father-in-law. It was deeply moving!
6 – Because we had a Jewish wedding, we opened the dance floor with the band Briefing playing the traditional Hora. It was a blast: chairs were lifted, the newlyweds were raised onto a table and even tossed into the air! You can see a little of it in the photos.
7 – The newlyweds' participation is essential to a successful dance floor. Flávia always said so, and we followed that advice exactly. A highlight was when the groom joined the band to play with two friends. They rehearsed beforehand, and it was fantastic!
Ceremony venue: MAM
Officiant: David Alhadeff
Reception venue: MAM
Number of guests: 340 guests
Wedding planning and RSVP: Flávia Cavaliere (Cerimoniale)
Catering: Laguiole
Photography: Daud Pacha e Victor Miguel
Video: BV1 – Beto Santoro
Invitations: Eurostyle
Calligraphy: Eurostyle
Choir (orchestra): Violinos Moza
Ceremony décor: Flávia Cavaliere
Reception décor: Flávia Cavaliere
Bouquet: Edla Barros
Set design: Gil Rangel
Furniture: Flávia Cavaliere
Charger plates: Flávia Cavaliere
Chandeliers: Flávia Cavaliere
Sound and projection screen: Rastropop
Lighting: Flávia Cavaliere
Band/DJ: Banda Briefing and DJ Alessandro Freitas
Dance floor: Rastropop
Dance lessons: Gil Rangel
Special entertainment: Saxlive Stanley Neto
Beverages: Prosecco Wines & Roses / craft beer: Lacervas
Sweets: Flávia Cavaliere
Sweet wrappers: Flávia Cavaliere
Cake: Flávia Cavaliere
Service attendants: Flávia Cavaliere
Bem-casados: Flávia Cavaliere
Guest favors: Fave Sandálias and Bonecas de Propósito
Wedding dress: Atelier Carol Hungria
Accessories and jewelry: Ajour Atelier
Shoes: Manufact
Bride's mother's dress: Atelier Carol Hungria
Groom's mother's dress: Atelier Maria da Paz
Were bridesmaid dress colors specified? Yes, a Pantone palette of shades of pink and beige
Groom's attire: Eduardo Guinle
Groomsmen: -
Flower girls and page boys: Atelier Andressa Gomes
Wedding rings: Tiffany & co
Hair and makeup: Hair — Flávio Santos / Makeup — Raquel Ferreira
Gift registry: Zankyou
Honeymoon: Aruba
Children's entertainment: None
Want to know more about Weddings, Planning, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Décor or even Honeymoons? Follow the links to read more articles.
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