A Wedding in Wellington

Tomas is sitting on a plane somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. He left Buenos Aires eleven hours ago, and he will land in Auckland in two more hours. From there, he's taking a short flight to Wellington, where his sister Florencia is getting married on Saturday to a New Zealander called Hemi.

Florencia has planned everything to the minute. Tomas reads her last email again. "The ceremony starts at three o'clock on the hill above the bay. At four, we're having photos by the water. The dinner begins at six in the tent in the garden. Please don't be late. And please don't forget the rings!" Tomas touches the small box in his jacket pocket. He is the best man, and he is going to keep it there until Saturday.

Hemi's family meets him at the airport on Thursday. Hemi's grandmother looks at the sky and shakes her head. "It's going to be windy on Saturday," she says. "In Wellington, it's always windy." Florencia laughs. "The forecast says it will be sunny," she answers. "Nothing is going to ruin this wedding."

On Saturday morning, the sun is shining, but by lunchtime the wind has started. At two o'clock, it is so strong that the white flowers fly off the chairs on the hill. At half past two, the arch where Florencia and Hemi are going to stand falls over. Florencia looks at her phone, then at Tomas. "What are we going to do?" she asks. For the first time in months, she has no plan.

Tomas thinks quickly. "Everybody is going to help," he says. Hemi's cousins carry the chairs down the hill into the garden. Tomas and Hemi's uncle hold the tent down while two teenagers tie it with extra ropes. Hemi's grandmother takes the flowers that are left and puts them in jars on the tables. By ten past three, the ceremony is ready to start inside the tent, which is moving like the sails of a ship.

Florencia walks in with her hair everywhere, laughing. When the moment comes, Tomas puts his hand in his pocket very carefully, and the rings are still there. Hemi's family sings a traditional Maori song, and Tomas's mother cries so much that she needs three tissues.

Later, at dinner, Tomas gives his speech. "My sister had a plan for everything," he says, "except the wind. I think this marriage will be like today. Not everything will go as planned, but everybody will be there to help." Outside, the wind is still blowing. Hemi's grandmother raises her glass and smiles at Florencia. "I told you," she says. "In Wellington, it's always windy."