A Very Twinsie Wedding in Miami

In a semi-unexpected turn of events, we find ourselves on a break from our break from life and in Miami at the end of October for a very special event. My twin sister is getting hitched! Her seeming last minute decision for the wedding date had made it look as if we wouldn’t be able to attend, but once logic got hold of me, I knew it was an event we couldn’t miss. And so we make the quick four-hour flight from Quito to Miami where we get oh-so-happily spoiled with all the luxuries of home for a week.

Pre-wedding dinner and drinks with Marianna

Man time (Fabrizio & Micha) on the scooter. Also, handsome chef has his model pose down pat.

Aperol's ready for breakfast

Once home at sister’s fabulous apartment complex on Miami Beach, we find a fridge full of IPAs waiting for us in the apartment (Fabrizio didn't know exactly which ones Micha would like so he just got them all :) along with neverending rounds of spritzes on the balconies, but of course. I say balconies plural because Nat and Fabrizio currently have two apartments: their old one-bedroom and their new two-bedroom just a couple doors down. The old one makes the most convenient wedding guest apartment for us, Kylie, and Liz this weekend.

Our evenings are fully planned with out-of-town guest get-togethers at the various restaurants of friends while our days are spent finishing up wedding crafts and figuring out our girly beautification schedule for the big day. Fairly enough, Fabrizio steals Micha away as often as possible to go visit and work on his new restaurant (they're in the middle of the interior building process) which is really just his excuse to escape all the crazy American girls for a while. I tell you, Germans and Italians have never gotten along so well before these two...

Liz, Nat, and I channel putting all our Pinterest-acquired flower-arranging skills to use

Now that it's her second wedding of the year, sister's become a bit of a bridal bouquet expert ;)

Our mom and aunt Dawn come from LA to represent our family at the wedding and graciously help us set up on the morning of at Fabrizio's brother's house, where the wedding will take place. And by help, I mean Dawn helps put up lights that none of us girls can reach (having a tall aunt sure is handy!) and mom helps by holding and entertaining the chubby baby, Renzo. Seeing as she broke her leg earlier this year thanks to me (not really but also kind of), we're more than happy to let her play babysitter and put Renzo's dad, Nicola (Fabrizio's twin brother) to work instead.

Dawn and a very chill Renzo; Mom and her beloved new iPhone

Noemi's not giving up her play area to the booze without a fight. Or a photoshoot.

Fabrizio and Nicola (on the roof) putting up Nat's A-MAZING handmade ceremony backdrop

The rest of the morning is a bit hectic as we ladies run from manicure appointment to hair appointment and then from Miami beach to the wedding location with the rest of the decorations and all four of us girls somehow stuffed into the cute little Fiat Cinquecento. Micha meanwhile gets to play sous-chef to Fabrizio, who is preparing the food for his own wedding. As any perfectionist chef would, I suppose. (I, for one, could not be more excited for his food!)

Getting dressed wouldn't be complete without prosecco, but of course...

The adorable dress and classy bridal ladies

Since this is their second wedding of the year - the civil ceremony already took place in July - Nat and Fabrizio schedule this one a little more relaxed, as befitting a backyard wedding. They join the guests for happy hour, meaning plenty and plenty of spritzes, before their neighbor, a lovely German woman named Svenja, conducts a sweet little ceremony of sorts for them and we all toast to the oh-so-photogenic couple. (I kid, they both look great, but are the most ridiculous picture posers on earth together.) (Like I'm one to talk.)

Nat's handmade decorations (girl's got skillz)

Balloons and prosecco, what more could you need?

In case you weren't yet aware, Nat and I are champs at posing for pictures

Me, momma, and Dawn! | Nat with neighbor/officiator Svenja and family

A good one! And Nat almost has her eyes open!

When one identical twin marries another identical twin, the photo opps are endless

The rest of the night proceeds just as a wedding should, with plenty of eating - Italians serve SO much food - drinking, dancing, and even a little funny-a-few-minutes-after-the-fact ceremonial throwing of the groom in the pool. There are hitches, of course, because what wedding is without them, but we ladies are the last ones on the dancefloor and leave only once our feet can't take it anymore. Just as it should be.

Marianna made the champagne cake and then we covered it in happy little succulents

This picture of Dawn and mom watching the dancefloor just cracks me up

All the complicated light hanging was so worth it | Party faces

Ladies, L to R: Kylie, Yared, Liz, Yasmin (who couldn't take a bad picture if she tried), Nat, me, Marianna

We spend the post-wedding days pretending to recover with naps and talks of alcohol-free days, but really pass the time with boozey brunches, even more food-filled evenings, and cuddling with either the kittens or my new all-time favorite human, Junior. It is so so hard for me not to steal that baby when we leave.

Day after brunch: Nat and momma; Liz and me

Yared and her (unbelievably adorable) "little man" Mike Jr!

Another food-and-boozey night on the terrace

New favorite human!! It does not get any cuter than this little guy, I tell ya

Brief beach trip before saying goodbye to Miami

If you were wondering how Aperol got her name... | Best. Nap. EVER.

Saying goodbye to sister is the worst, though, and leaving, I just know a bout of homesickness will hit me as soon as we arrive in Peru. All there is to do is hope that Machu Picchu and the next few stops inject that travelbug right back into me!