MARIA CRISTINA Moreira Novaes from Brazil married Rainer Ladwig of Heidelberg, Germany, at the Registry Office in Grand Street Lower, Dublin 2, on February 23rd. The ceremony was witnessed by Gabriel Novaes, Cristina’s brother, and Rainer’s brother, Manfred Ladwig.
Cristina, who has lived in Ireland for the past three years, is a much loved member of staff at Airfield House and Gardens in Dundrum, and what made this a particularly exemplary occasion for the times we are living in is that her colleagues offered their skills and services for the day, which included setting up, catering, waiting and even clearing up.
Restaurant manager Yvonne Burchall organised the flowers and bouquets for the wedding party with the generous help of Lorcan Burke of Absolutely Fabulous Flowers in Celbridge, Co Kildare, whose arrangements helped to transform the library at Airfield. The day got off to a sparkling start with a champagne reception.
The couple met through the internet eight years ago. Rainer works as a media analyst in Heidelberg, and they have each spent months at a time getting to know one another in Brazil, Germany and Ireland. He proposed last August, expecting a quiet wedding, but Cristina’s friends and colleagues took matters into their own hands.
Christina is from Londrina, or “Little London”, the third-biggest city in southern Brazil. She studied business management and human resources at Londrina State University before coming to Ireland. Although her mother, Maruia Novaes, was unable to travel to the wedding, thanks to a webcam, she congratulated the couple after they exchanged their vows. Their guests came from all over the world, including Zimbabwe, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Spain and Brazil - not forgetting Ireland. Colleague Catriona Kiely, of Cotton Pickin Rodeo Clowns, held the wedding party captive with her beautiful singing. There were great displays of samba dancing and the Germans were judged to be the best jivers. “The day was truly an exercise in community spirit, joy, happiness and great friendships,” said one of the guests.
Cristina and Rainer spent their honeymoon in the west of Ireland and will set up home together in Germany later this month.