By GARY CARDINEZ Sunday, December 24 2006

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SOCA SWEETHEARTS Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez and Fay-Ann Lyons were married in a small, intimate ceremony yesterday at the the Holiness Revival Ministries Church on French Street, Woodbrook.

The ceremony, conducted by the groom’s older brother, Pastor Marlon Alvarez, was attended by about 50 of the celebrity couple’s friends and relatives. Among the guests were several soca artistes and local entertainment figures including Maximus Dan, Shurwayne Winchester, Nikki Crosby, Jadee, promoter Cliff Harris and Earl Patterson.

From as early as 1.30 pm guests began arriving at the church. As they arrived, they were cheered on by patrons at the Chucks International Bar. They cheered loudly when Bunji, dressed in a white tuxedo, arrived in a stretch limousine. However, they saved their loudest applause for the father of the bride, former Soca Monarch Superblue (Austin Lyons) dressed in his signature blue, when he stepped out of another limo.

It was a proud Superblue who walked up the aisle with his daughter to give her away in marriage to Bunji.

The wedding party comprised 12 grooms men dressed in black tuxedos and 12 bridesmaids in blue gowns.

During a simple ceremony, Pastor Alvarez told the couple that marriage is honourable and of God and it was their responsibility to make their union successful. The couple looked quite calm and shared several jokes before taking their vows.

When they were presented to the congregation as man and wife, the cheers seemed to echo off the walls of the church.

Following the ceremony, the couple and their guests celebrated at an elaborate reception at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.