What should I wear?
The ceremony and party are both formal. Please bring something for colder weather at night. It does get cold as the sun goes down, especially in the countryside.
For the September 29 event, please plan to wear fun and festive clothing.
Where should we stay?
There is a hotel that will have a transfer shuttle to and from the venue. If you are planning to attend both the pre-wedding party and the wedding, we suggest that you stay at the Ibis hotel. More details are on listed in the travel portion of the website!
What if we want to stay in the city of São Paulo, and not at the Ibis?
If you are only coming on Saturday, and not on Friday night, then we can provide you with contacts to a private driver. It will be easy and reasonable in price to get an Uber to the party on Saturday, but will be unlikely that you find an Uber to return to the city from the venue. For this reason, please reach out and I will be putting together private driver options for those of you who need.
What are some places to visit in São Paulo?
You can go shopping on Oscar Freire street, see the cute boho neighborhood of Vila Madalena, see some street art in Beco do Batman. You can also visit parks such as the São Paulo botanical gardens, Ibirapuera Park, and Park do Povo. I also recommend that you take a trip to Rio while you are here!
Is there anything to do in Mogi das Cruzes?
There is not much to do in the area where the wedding will be. If you are interested in getting your hair and/or makeup done at the hotel, please contact Kristin so that she can arrange for you to receive those services at the hotel. kristinfayad@gmail.com or 9733496535.
What foods should we try while in Brazil?
Get açaí from Oakberry! Try bobo de camarão and moqueca at a local restaurant. I personally love Consulado da Bahia for this type of food. Try pastels, cold draft beer (choppe), and caipirinhas! You could visit a steakhouse- we have plenty of Fogo de Chão locations here. Rodrigo´s favorite steakhouse is called Bovinus, so you might want to try that one!
What restaurants in SP do you love to go to?
Jacarandá for dinner, Botanikafé for brunch, Banana Verde, Purana and Camelia Ododó for vegan food, Zestzing for the best croissants in all of SP, Oakberry for açaí, Baccio di Late for the best gelato, Due Cuochi and Modern Mamma Osteria for the best italian food, Consulado do Bahia for traditional northeastern brazilian food. We Coffee has some instagramable sweets and drinks. Osteria Nonna Rosa is a classy stylish spot. Try Bar Botanico for light food and drinks, as well as Axado Bar in Pinheiros.
Should we come to visit Brazil the weeks before or after the wedding?
After the wedding, we will be taking off on our honeymoon. If you choose to visit a week before the wedding, it is more likely that we can come see you!
What places should we visit when in Brazil?
Definitely take a visit to Rio and spend at least 5 days there. If you want to try something completely different, I recommend "Big Island" or in portuguese, Isla Grande. There are other favorite destinations of ours, but logistically, Rio will be the easiest and the best! If you do want other city or beach destinations, let us know and we are happy to make suggestions!
We (especially Kristin) highly recommend that you take time to visit Rio de Janeiro while in the country. Rio is Kristin's most favorite city in the whole world, and she would love for you to see all the beauty it has to offer. We recommend Kristin's godfather, Marcio Guedes, who is a certified tour guide to show you around. He is notorious for showing all of the main points in a single day, or even extending the tour to two days and seeing a little more than the "main attractions".
Marcio's TripAdvisor link: Rio Tours with Marcio Guedes
You can also contact him on Whatsapp at +5521981027654 or via email at marciolg@gmail.com.
*Marcio is also really great with finding the best prices for helicopter rides around the city, and can help you with that! Kristin has done the helicopter ride around Rio once as a child and has never forgotten it. She plans to go a second time with Rodrigo. <3
Things to do in Rio: See the Sugarloaf mountain, easily hike halfway up (45 minutes on Urca mountain), the view of Santa Teresa (go to a swanky hotel there or have dinner during sunset at the restaurant Aprazivel). Have a traditional BBQ lunch at Rodrigo's favorite spot in Rio- Brazero da Gavea. Hike up the Two Brothers Mountain (need a guide for this), Urca, or Pedra Bonita (Beautiful Rock) mountain. Go hang-gliding or parachuting off Pedra Bonita, take a boat and have drinks that departs from the marina, Marina da Gloria, and don't forget to go to the beach in Ipanema. In Ipanema, check out the sunset. Go to Apoador (rocky area at the end of the beach), and shop around this area of the city. These are just some of the many things we love about Rio! On Sundays, the street along the beach is closed for pedestrians, and there is a fair called the Hippy Fair in Ipanema. It is easy to find!
Remember to stay safe and keep your phone or expensive jewelry put away (no walking and texting or looking at the map) while you are out and about.
