a short summary of our wedding in Carvoeiro…

 

 Linda Potgieter 26-10-2003


We arrived on Thursday the 4th of September to a lovely 10 sleeper villa on the hilltop of the town. We had friends and family flying in from all over to join us…the UK, South Africa, Salt Lake City USA and Germany. Some stayed with us at the villa and some at the Golf Club resort nearby.

The wedding was on Saturday the 6th and was simply divine. Our Pastor, Greg Eckler, gave the perfect service in a beautiful chapel overlooking the ocean.

Every word was so meaningful and the appropriate focus & glory was on God, at the helm of our marriage. We had a great dinner party on the pool deck at O Flamingo in town and were well looked after by the owners, Petra & Roland. Robby Richardson was our chosen DJ and did a great job to get everyone into the swing of things. (Pastor Greg & Robby are Christian DJ’s on the local Kiss FM radio station – tune in, well worth it.

We were also fortunate enough to go to one of their live band gigs on the beachfront (Greg, his wife Terran & Robby on stage) which was superb.) Vitor Rocha was our photographer & did a great job, the photos are really lovely.

The rest of the reception party continued back at the villa – loads of fun. Overall, the wedding was a small, intimate and incredibly special event. We were only 19 in total, but in many ways it made it more enjoyable as Jan & I were able to spend quality time with everyone there.

Most of our guests left at the end of the 1st week, leaving Jan & I to enjoy a week’s honeymoon to ourselves. Week 1 was lots of fun filled with lots of activity, and the 2nd week quieter but still enjoyable. We spent most of our days at the beach, taking walks, reading, swimming and finding good restaurants. It was brilliant, every single day.

Thanks, Steen, for trying to help where you could via your web site. It was quite a mission organising the wedding from London, to say the least, having never visited Portugal and not having a contact acquaintance in the country either. But it all worked out exceptionally well, right down to the best hairdresser & beautician I’ve yet come across (Victor Picardo and his fiancée Andrea in Lagoa, both talented professionals).

 
We’re now in a position to recommend (or not) some restaurants and sight-seeing areas in and around Carvoeiro. Our favourite restaurant is one situated in a very well-known scenic spot – it’s a high look-out point just beyond the chapel we got married in, beautiful place. (Driving up the main street in town with the beach on your right, you turn right at the top of the hill toward the chapel – look-out point is on the left.) The restaurant itself (don’t know the name) is quite unassuming but the service is friendly and the chicken piri piri excellent! The Algarve is a beautiful part of Portugal – lovely coastlines and fantastic weather; we thoroughly enjoyed our trip and highly recommend the area.

Regards
Linda Potgieter