Tuesday June 30

New and Better Location

Today we met Giovanna and I told her the news that we are canceling using her services. I said that she could not control if there is a municipality band playing outside and that she could not control if there are a lot of people in her restaurant (who are not wedding guests) making a lot of noise. This would disrupt the wedding. We don’t want our music clashing with the outside noise. To this, Giovanna didn’t say anything. So, I think that she was prepared for this. Since she didn’t offer any resistance, I didn’t have to add all the other things that she did that we didn’t like.
Before I told her this, I asked for the name and phone number of the Judge so we can contact him regarding the change of venue.

We had made a $200 deposit about 2 weeks ago, and she said that this was not returnable. We said, ‘We thought so.’ Then she added that the florist already order the flowers. Jayne said no one has flowers in their shop a week before the wedding as they would be wilted by the time we get them. She also said, ‘She might have ordered flowers but she didn’t pay for them.’
We didn’t invite her to the wedding at the new location.

From there, we went to Matt’s office to tell him the news. He offered to help us find a place that that will host a wedding. He knows several nice restaurants to have it in. We went to one where he had his wedding 6 years ago. The owner is a friend of him. The owner is a German who is married to an Ecuadorian.

When we went to the restaurant, Jayne and I thought that this was the perfect place. It’s located on Plaza Grande, which is the nicest square in all of Quito and it’s right next to the Presidential Palace. The restaurant is called Mia Culpa (which means ‘my fault’). It’s on the second floor of a building that was built in the 17th Century and where the Arch Bishop of Quito lived 300 years ago!

The room, furniture and decorations are really beautiful. Plus it has five windows that look out to Plaza Grande. We asked if they were available for July 5th, and the manager said yes. And the time was fine, too. In fact, we were told that they are not opened until 7pm, but they will have their employees come in early. Thus, we will have this place to ourselves for three of the four hours that we’ll be there!

Inquired about the price and for a three course meal it’ll cost $35/person and that includes one glass of wine, free coffee, tea and juice. The extra wine will cost $25/bottle. This is a top restaurant and we are sure that the food will be good.

We will be giving the guests a choice of appetizers, chicken, steak, fish, and a choice of three different kinds of desert.

To have the band there and our wedding decorations set up is no problem. Since the decorations include three bottles of champagne that are decorated, the manager said that they’ll be no charge. Usually there is a corking fee. So, this is nice of him to do that.

You can leave it to the Germans for looking at the details.

From there, Mathieu had to leave for business. Jayne and I went to a cheap but nice restaurant right under the one where the wedding will be to get something to eat. The funny thing is that we have been there many times while we were in town and little did we know that our wedding reception will be right above it.

Later, sitting out in the plaza I got a call from Mathieu saying that his wife called the Judge and said that the change of location will be no problem. However the Judge said that he needed a paper from my embassy saying that I was not married. I told him that he already saw the paper and said that all was ok. The last time I was there I was told that this is all that I need. He told me I better see the Judge. But Jayne and I couldn’t understand this as the Judge said when we last saw him that Jayne needs her paper from the British Embassy saying that she can marry.
We went to the tailors to pick up the shirts that were made. Jayne also asked if they could make a little cloth purse and they said they could and would make it from the remaining material from the dress.

The dress and my vest will be ready July 3.

We went to the wedding store later to talk to the girl who works there. She wasn’t in so I called her and told her that the wedding location will be different (giving her the address) and if she could deliver the decorations. I told her not to give it to Giovanna. She said that she’d be glad to do it. She speaks good English and was living in the U.S. and she seems quite capable of working.
There’s a saying that all things work toward the good. And we see that it has. Things came together quickly today and for the better.

I lost $200 but we’ll still save a little money figuring in the cost of the other restaurant. Not only is it still a little cheaper but we’ll get so much more for our money. The food will be better, the restaurant and location is the best and we have confidence that all will be good. With Giovanna she didn’t instill any confidence or value for the money.

When we got home I called my lawyer and friend (who’ll be coming to the wedding) and told her what the Judge said to Mathieu. I asked her if she could call him and she did. She got back to me right away to say that it was Jayne’s paper he was waiting on and not mine. So he must have made a mistake. So this is good. That means I don’t have to go to my embassy.

I also told Maria of the change of location. Then I called some other people to let them know. There was only three other families I had to call to let everyone know, as Mathieu was told when I saw him today.

I talked to Tarquin about our meeting and he said that he found someone to take pictures. Her name is Rachael and she already worked at his place in Cotopaxi and is now working at his hostel in Quito. I’m to meet her at his hostel in Quito at 5.00pm Friday to show her how to work the cameras.

That was very nice of him to arrange this.

I also asked if he could put us down for dinner at his place Friday night and he said we can tell Rachael that, as she is running the kitchen.