Kids & Family

Marriage on Horizon After 23 Years of Dating

Debbie Blythe-Caravalho, daughter of Viola Blythe, to wed Ray Rodriguez at the Newark Community Church.

He’s a bit of a bad boy. She runs a non-profit in Newark. They don’t see eye to eye on everything. But they are certain about one thing:

After 23 years of dating they’re ready to get married.

“We said what are we waiting for? Let’s just do this!” Debbie Blythe- Caravalho exclaimed, describing the day Raymond "Niles Ray" Rodriguez, 63, slipped an engagement ring on her finger.

They were celebrating her 60th birthday in Las Vegas. Then in the middle of a meal, he surprised her with a marriage proposal. He pledged his love for her and they raised their glasses to celebrate. 

“Next Saturday we expect half the town to be there,” Blythe said Thursday with a laugh. “It started off small. The next thing you know, we have 13 people on both sides of the wedding parties,” she said.   

The bridge and groom will exchange original vows in front of a crowd of people that is a veritable who’s who of Newark, California. The guest list includes Mayor Alan Nagy, numerous members of the City Council and Chamber of Commerce.

Pastor Ed Moore will officiate their ceremony, which will have a sand ceremony. The couple and their children will sprinkle sand into a crystal decanter, symbolically mixing their families together into one.

The theme of the wedding is zoot suits and old school music.   

The bride said she will be wearing a “pin-up style, Marilyn Monroe look,” with a specially sewn belt. It will have a motorcycle sewn into it, highlighting one of the things the couple loves to do together – go for rides on his chopper.

The groom and his party will wear pinstriped suits. The Bay Bombs Car Club, which restores cars made circa 1950, will drive the couple to the wedding reception at the Newark Pavilion. Debbie Blythe-Caravalho and Ray Rodriguez will join hands in matrimony on October 5, 2013. 


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