Dear family and friends,
We are so happy to have the chance to celebrate our wedding with all of you in Rio de Janeiro and show you a little bit of this wonderful city. Our wedding will take place on June 3rd, at Parque Lage, a very historic and special place in Rio. We will also be hosting pre-wedding events on June 1st and 2nd.
We hope to see you there! As they say in Peru: Que comience la fiesta!
Welcome Drinks (Foreign guests only)
Thursday, June 1st in the evening
Join us at a quintessential Rio boteco (pub) for drinks and Brazilian bites.
Time: 17:00 - 21:00
Location: Boteco Boa Praça - Av. Viera Souto 110, Ipanema
(next door to the Fasano Hotel)
Attire: Casual
Rehearsal Dinner and Party (Foreign Guests only)
Friday, June 2nd
oin us for a night of brazilian inspired cocktails, dinner and dancing.
Vans will pick guests up from the Fasano at 15:00 sharp.
Time: 16:00 - 22:00
Location: Solar Real - R. Aprazível 39, Santa Teresa
Attire: Cocktail, but don't forget to keep it tropical
Wedding
Saturday, June 3rd
Ceremony and Reception.
Vans will leave the Fasano at 16:30.
Time: 17:00
Location: Parque Lage - R. Jardim Botânico 414, Jardim Botânico
Attire: Long dresses for women - Suit and tie for men
Hotels
We have secured a limited number of discounted rates at the Fasano, our favorite hotel in Rio, located on Ipanema beach.This is where we will be staying over the weekend and highly recommend you stay there. Rates start at ˜$360 p/ night (at the current FX). Reservations need to be made through Plantel Tourismo, our trusted travel agency in Brazil, who can help with any other travel needs as well.
Contact information below:
JEANNE DRUMOND
jeanne@plantelturismo.com.br
+55 21 3206 9800
As an alternative to Fasano, we recommend Hotel Arpoador, which is conveniently located a few blocks away. Website
Flights
For guests coming from New York, at the moment, there are no direct flights to Rio. When we fly, we usually connect through São Paulo (four flights a day from New York), but there are plenty of connections through Miami, Houston and Atlanta as well. If you are connecting in São Paulo, we highly recommend budgeting at least 2hrs between flights. When flying into Rio from São Paulo you can fly into either one of the city's airports, Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU).
The latter is closer to the recommended hotels.
For those coming from Peru, LATAM offers direct flights from Lima to Rio and São Paulo everyday.
Sightseeing
CORCOVADO/ CRISTO REDENTOR (CHRIST THE REDEEMER) - This is a must for all of you first timers in Rio, the city's ultimate postcard. We always suggest going early in the AM to avoid the large crowds. It opens at 8AM. Website
SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN - Also a must in Rio! Two mountains, connected by cable car, that provide amazing views of the city.
BEACHES - Beach going is at the core of the Rio experience. Our favorites are Ipanema and Leblon, but if you are staying for an extended period of time, going to Prainha makes for a great day trip.
MARACANÃ STADIUM - The legendary soccer stadium that hosted two World Cup finals and is home base for JP's team, Flamengo. If you are interested in going to a game talk to JP for help planning.
LAPA - Bohemian neighborhood filled with Samba Bars and live music joints. Also features the tiled staircase Selaron.
BOTANICAL GARDENS - Very impressive. Close to our wedding venue.
PEDRA DA GÁVEA TRAIL - Extremely difficult and technical climb, 3hrs. It has one of the most beautiful views of Rio de Janeiro, but we do not recommend doing this without a guide.
PEDRA BONITA TRAIL - 10% of the effort of Pedra da Gavea, but 90% of the view. Easy, 30mins hike with beautiful views of the ocean and the south zone of Rio de Janeiro.
DOIS IRMÃOS TRAIL - Medium difficulty. 40mins. Beautiful and iconic views, but the trailhead is at the top of a favela.
Restaurants
INTERNATIONAL CUISINE
GERO - Our favorite upscale Italian restaurant, at the Fasano hotel. Website
SUSHI LEBLON - Very traditional sushi spot in a trendy street in the neighborhood of Leblon, an institution in Rio. Website
CIPRIANI - Same vibe, but not the same menu as the ones you know from other cities. Modern take on Italian cuisine. Website
CHEZ CLAUDE - Casual French bistrot with Brazilian influences from celebrity Chef Claude Troigros. Website
NAGA - The best japanese spot in Rio de Janeiro, but a little far away from the area we will be staying at. Website
BRAZILIAN
APRAZIVEL - Restaurant housed in the bohemian neighborhood of Santa Teresa, with great views of the Guanabara Bay.
Perfect for long, lazy caipirinha filled lunches. Modern take on traditional food from the countryside. Website
IRAJÁ - Excellent modern Brazilian cuisine in a laid back setting. Website
BIRA - Rustic open air seafood restaurant located in a nature reserve in the west zone of Rio. Amazingly fresh seafood recipes, beautiful views, great caipirinhas and some local monkeys to keep you company. It is far away from the hotel area (approx 1hr 15min) so we would only recommend it for those of you staying for an extended period of time. Website
STEAKHOUSES
ASSADOR - Traditional all you can eat "rodizio" steakhouse with good views of Guanabara Bay. Website
MOCELIN - A little far from the hotel, but great all you can eat "rodizio" steakhouse. Website
MALTA BEEF CLUB - Trendier a la carte steakhouse in Leblon. Website
TASTING MENU
LASAI - Hyperlocal farm to table tasting menu. Website
OTEQUE - Seafood based tasting menu. Website
ORO - Avant-garde, open-flame brazilian based cooking. Website
OTHERS
MIL FRUTAS - Our favorite ice cream store, amazing selection of creative, local flavors.
There are many scattered around the city. Website
JUICES AND AÇAÍ - Having a fresh juice or açai at the beach is a quintessential part of the Rio experience.
We recommend Bibi Lanches in Leblon or Bibi Sucos which has multiple locations around Rio.
But any juice store you go into won't disappoint.
JP's favorite juice is maracujá com fruta do conde (passion fruit and sugar apple).
KIOSKS
Having a drink and bite in one of the beach front kiosks after a swim is a classic Rio experience.
Here are some of our favorites:
Hair & Makeup
These are some salons that we recommend close to where we will be staying.
STUDIO LU RECH LEBLON: +55 21 3502-9699
CRYSTAL HAIR IPANEMA: +55 21 2513-2000
WERNER LEBLON: +55 21 2259-9599
Trips Around Brazil
For those of you that are planning to make a longer trip out of it, here are some destinations around Brazil we recommend. Talk to JP if you want further recommendations for any of these. We are also including the contact of our local travel agency that can help organize trips to these places.
ANGRA DOS REIS - Popular beach town 3 hours south of Rio by car, featuring an archipelago of hundreds of islands and clear, emerald water. Recommend staying at the Fasano Hotel.
BÚZIOS - Another very popular beach town amongst people from Rio, located 3 hours north of the city by car.
AMAZON - Truly once in a lifetime's experience. We recommend Hotel Anavilhanas that provides an upscale but action packed experience. They pick you up from the city of Manaus.
FOZ DO IGUAÇU - Collection of waterfalls that sit at the border of Brazil and Argentina. Think Niagra, but a lot more impressive. Recommend staying at Hotel das Cataratas.
FERNANDO DE NORONHA - Paradise island in the north of Brazil, untouched, with a beautiful ocean and amazing diving. Rustic and hard to get to, but an amazing experience.
STATE OF BAHIA - Coastal state with beautiful beach resorts, warm hospitality and amazing food. Itacaré and Trancoso are some of the more popular destinations.
Is it safe?
Rio is a wonderful city, but it is important to always be aware of your surroundings. To make sure you have nothing but good memories of our city, we recommend you avoid wearing jewelry, expensive watches or cameras while walking in the street, as well as using your cellphone. We recommend staying in busier areas while walking, especially at night.
How do you recommend getting around?
When getting around, we would recommend using ubers (which work very well, especially uber black) or asking your hotel to call a trusted cab company. We would prefer you avoid hailing cabs in the street.
Do I need a Visa?
As of 2019, Americans do not need a visa to visit Brazil. Generally, Brazil does not require visas for residents of most countries, but please check on your local consulate website.
What is the weather like in June?
It is technically winter, but we are in the tropics and the temperature ranges from 18-27C (64 to 81F). It is definitely beach weather year round.
How should I get from the airport to the city?
We recommend you have your hotel arrange transportation, but ubers work well at the airport. There are many stands where you can get airport authorized pre-paid taxis, which is the way to go if you want to get a cab.
What should I shop for?
Bikinis and Havaianas sandals are the staples of Rio when it comes to shopping and gifts. For bathing suits and coverups, Ale’s favorites include Lenny Niemeyer, Adriana Degreas and Vix.
PLEASE, CONFIRM YOUR PRESENCE:
