Brazilian-Norwegian Wedding in Marseille

Q: Øivind, what inspired this idea?

We’ve been living together for 8 years now and we have a five year old daughter called Christine. We’ve wanted to get married for a long time but, somehow, we’ve never found the right moment nor the right place to do it. The idea came to us while we were watching the final draw ceremony when both the NORWAY and BRAZIL team fell into the same group. We contacted CFO MARSEILLE to put in our request.

Q: What was their reaction?

At first, they thought it was a joke but when we explained in more detail they told us to send a fax, which they then sent on to FIFA. Eventually, the FIFA President, Joao HAVELANGE and the President of the World Cup Organising Committee, Lennart JOHANSSON gave their personal approval because, for them, football is a means of bringing people together in friendship and love.

Q: Could you tell us a little more about the two of you?

I’m Norwegian and 28 years old. Rosangela is 29 and Brazilian. We live together in Stavanger, Norway and we first met in 1990 in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. We’re both mad about football and have opened a pub and a sports bar to welcome the fans of our local team.

Q: What will happen during the ceremony?

A representative from MARSEILLE city council is coming to conduct the ceremony on the stade Vélodrome pitch. Our families will be there and our daughter, Christine, will carry the rings. The wedding will take place at 20h00, Tuesday 23 June, one hour before the kick-off of the NORWAY-BRAZIL match. 

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