News about S/Y JoHo

Just returned from the Netherlands and we are back at work. John is all about the money again and I'm busy with event management, the wedding of Nadine and Bas van den Nieuwenhuijzen. I'm coordinating the wedding and there is a lot to arrange on a short notice. No time to go to our JoHo, which means that we spend most of the time on land.
The week before the wedding is super-busy. My working days got longer and longer, 14 hours?! omg, they had a good deal on that day-price.... Next time I go for the hourly rate again :-).

Monday, September 17th, the first day of the wedding program begins with a welcome brunch. The wedding guests are treated to a buffet. It looked delicious and everything is homemade by our restaurant. Restaurant Ventanas del Mar (Window at the sea) at Tierra del Sol is one of the prime locations during the wedding week. After the brunch we organized a lounge afternoon at the pool with music by DJ Bjorn, a million dollar setting, blue sky, sun and a good atmosphere always sells hearts and souls. The guests are delighted.

On Wednesday at 7 o'clock in the morning I'm back in the office to do the last things for this day. Early in the afternoon busses arrive to bring all the guests to Censo, the Oranjestad, Aruba town hall. The bride and groom looked absolutely gorgeous when they arrived. The service in the town hall was nice and short, it ended even a little earlier than expected. After (lots of) Champagne (in the hot afternoon sun) a group picture is taken (quite a feat with 100+ jovial people) and then everybody is leaving for the surprise location by bus. Upon arrival at Arashi beach everything looked good. BBQ is set, so time for food and a beach party. We had some WOW family singers there (thanks Wendy and Nienke, we're fans), the evening was a success. All guests were impressed.

Thursday, another day in paradise, but today is reception day, important day and it all starts early in de evening. After a day in the office prepairing everything for tomorrow, a quick shower and change for the reception tonight as there's a dress code. Theme is Venice, John is an official guest and I'm (partly) working this evening as I'm partly guest as His wife too. Oh yeah, the container with the Venice stuff was missing untill yesterday, but lost and found and delivered too, it's all there and looks great. The artists of the evening are Pasta en Basta, also known as the singing waitresses / waiters including David Goncalves (known as a participant of the Voice of Holland 2012). Food is good, music great and that all we share with around 450 guests. Impressive. Another important day to go tomorrow.

Today, Friday is the day of church, dinner and party (again). I still have to make the church booklets and menu cards for today, as every 10 minutes I receive changes for the church booklets and menu cards, I guess the pressure gets higher for the wedding couple as well. Quickly I get the documents ready and with the help of Eric and Karin (Diederik parents, the guy whom we share the apartment with) and John and his accounting team we print, fold and bind 250 booklets in less than 2 hours.
As my dream team is working for the church booklets to get it finished just in time for the church service I get the same kind of help for the 160 menu cards from the Golf ProShop (only 2 girls, but they have 5 more hours to complete the work).
The busses are ready again and bring all people to church, but on arrival at the church the main door is closed. So I lead everyone inside through the side entrance. After handing out fans and church booklets, I go hunting for the key to the main door. Once open we need to move all the stuff in (water, bubbles, etc) and of course the bride and groom with their best men.
The church sermon is long and warm, and when the guests leave church they get a bottle of bubbles to blow. The bubbles fly through the air when Bas en Nadine come out. I see happy faces. Good.
Time for the next part, cake cutting at Tierra del Sol at the Look-out bar. Stunning view from here over the island.
Then in the evening we got a dinner as moment supreme and party as final act. The design of the restaurant is beautiful, all tables, deco en menu cards match, green / white. I think we really made a team effort here that stands. After a delicious meal it's party time. Starting with a brass band, good fireworks, a lot of music and new friends. It's 04.55 when we step into our bed, oh what a week ......

After a few hours of sleep, we stepped into the last part of the program, the farewell brunch. Everything looks and smells great, I'm hungry and exhausted after this marvellous taxing week.

The last week of September is a quiet one for me, the guests depart slowly. The remaining days I devote to my company SailAdventures. What a month.

If you're interested in sailing the BAHAMAS, BERMUDA, MALDIVES or BONAIRE have a look at our books at SAILADVENTURES where the books are available online.
You can always mail us for more info on these cruising grounds or cruising in general, we'll gladly help you out.

Sailing the Caribbean and meanwhile JoHo will be our main address away from our main address, our floating office and home for the remainder of this year.
Have some assignments in between where and when possible, we may also compile a few cruising guides on our way.
We'll see, life's too complicated to plan anyways. Live life and plan the rest is what we say.