But with many still waiting to reach us silence was called for the ‘official toast’. The blood rushed from me in a moment. This was when I was to speak – first in English, with Claudia translating, but then in Spanish. “Mucho amor y Felicidal” A great cheer went up and everyone laughed and clapped. The huge doors ahead of us were folded back and the throng surged forwards towards the feast. A great room full of flowers and ribbon and hung with drapes and cloths – and full of the most incredible dishes of food. But no sooner had we sat down and drank our first glass of ‘Pisco sour’ than we were ushered up and off to circulate every table in a never ending succession of greetings and photo calls. But an interruption did come. The music had subsided and suddenly the waltz struck up. This was to be the beginning of the party. Claudia and I stepped back into the central hall and embraced as the Waltz faded away and our own personal love song began slowly and softly. We melted into each other as we slowly danced to the gentle love song.

Then one by one other couples joined us dancing. As the music tempo lifted my dad began to whisk Claudia’s mother from one corner of the room to other, faster and faster, their bodies becoming blurred as they whirled and they swirled. At 78 he can certainly dance the younger men off the floor. Suddenly the music shifted gear as the first of a night full of latin dances began. The beat raced as Claudia and I gave ourselves to the rhythm and moved as one. The floor cleared to a ring of cheering bodies urging us on as we danced more wildly. The inferno raged and I began to melt in the heat so the jacket came off with a whirl and off into the crowd. Then the tie followed as the throng went crazy. Then everyone was dancing, the room boiling with joy and happiness and so much energy!

The dancing continued on and on. There was no end to the fun, the happiness and the joy. Everyone was dancing as the latin Rhythm raced. My parents danced and danced with the rest and the best. We had started the ceremony at 8pm and feasting, drinking and dancing was now well past 3AM. Slowly the crowds were thinning and the energy began to subside. By 4AM we were giving the last farewells and slipping in to the back of a car to be ferried to our hotel for the night. Across the still busy city we traveled with friends in convoy and we burst bubbling into the foyer of Santiago’s most prestigious towering hotel. As we ascended into the heights in the glass lift we waved wearily to our dear friends still tumbling about far below us. And soon after our wedding day drifted away as sleep enveloped us.

 Ahead of us the wildest honeymoon you can imagine……

On the last day an English reporter asked if there would be another conference next year. One of the clairvoyants replied “We don’t know yet”