Brazilians say 'I do' at drive-thru weddings to avoid COVID-19

For Joao Blank and Erica Blank's first kiss as husband and wife, they didn't lock lips. The couple could only press their face masks together while sitting in the back of a hatchback, where they had just been wed. A Brazilian notary public hovering outside the car presided over the ceremony. | Above: Wearing masks, Erica da Conceicao and Joao Blank ride in the back seat of a car for the drive-thru wedding at the registry office in the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro.

The drive-thru marriage perhaps wasn't the romantic vision the Blanks had imagined, but it is one of few possibilities in the era of the new coronavirus.

People have begun turning to this unconventional union at a notary in Santa Cruz, a neighbourhood on the western outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, since the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus started battering Brazil. On last Thursday alone, 15 couples were married at its drive-thru.

"We're very happy because we didn't think we wedding date would come so soon," said Erica Blank, 24, who works in a pet shop. "We found out a week ago that we would get married and it was so good!"

Because most states have prohibited large gatherings in their effort to curb the spread of the virus, many Brazilians have been forced to delay traditional wedding ceremonies or seek safe alternatives. | Above: Havner Rodrigues, right, and Simone Soares exchange rings during their drive-thru wedding at the registry office of the neighbourhood of Santa Cruz in Rio de Janeiro.

Rio and at least six other states have enacted regulations allowing matrimony via video conferences. In Sao Paulo, a notary public can visit couples in their homes so they can sign all requisite documents before such weddings. | Above: Miriam, 2nd left, and Luis Eduardo, 2nd right, listen to notary public Alessandra Lapoente during their drive-thru wedding.

But the notary in Santa Cruz is the only one that has created a drive-thru, according to Brazil's national association of civil registrations. | Above: Wearing masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, Thiago do Nascimento, right, and Keilla de Almeida kiss during their drive-thru wedding.

The ceremony lasts about five minutes, with couples reading their vows, exchanging rings and sealing it with a kiss. Couples are choosing the drive-thru ceremony for several reasons, said Alessandra Lapoente, the notary who officiated at the Blank wedding. | Above: Couples wait inside their cars for their drive-thru weddings.

In most cases, a couple had set a date but their ceremony was torpedoed by the pandemic. They prefer to go through with the wedding instead of lingering in limbo, unsure of when a traditional ceremony might be possible. | Above: Wearing masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, a couple kisses during their drive-thru wedding.

"We saw the need to create a way to hold a safe celebration that was fast and within regulations," Lapoente said. "We made the ceremony brief, but with all the requirements, and everyone leaves happy." | Above: A bride holds a bouquet during her drive-thru wedding.