La Boda

On Oct. 29th, I had the great opportunity of attending my Cuencan "brother", Juan Pablo's, wedding. Juan Pablo and his new wife, Dani, have been together for 7 years, and are both some of the sweetest people I've meet here. Over the years, their families have become good friends, and the official joining of their lives was a beautiful thing!

Recognizing that every wedding is unique; I do not assume that every wedding in Ecuador will be just like this one, but there were a few customs practiced at this wedding which were new to me.
Just like many American weddings, the groom waited at the end of the aisle for the bride, who was accompanied by her dad. This wedding did not have a full wedding party; there was only a maid of honor who was followed by a few young flower girls and a ring bearer. Once the ceremony began, the bride and groom sat on a bench together facing the priest. They stood to say their vows, and they kissed to seal the deal. I wish I could have understood the vows! After the rings were exchanged they sat back down and a large rosary was placed around the two of them, I believe this was to symbolize togetherness.

After the wedding we headed to the reception, which was absolutely beautiful. To start, there was a table outside for appetizers. The bride, the groom, and their families stood together under a tent to receive congratulations and greet the guests. During dinner, the bride and groom came to each table to say hello to each guest. Although cake was served after dinner, there was not a cake-cutting ceremony. After everyone finished eating, the bride and groom had their first dance. Next, the close family joined in, and soon after, everyone was on the dance floor. It was really fun to dance at a South American wedding because everyone here knows how to salsa and dance in pairs. I learned a few dance moves, and thoroughly enjoyed myself while doing so!

My family: (left to right) Erika, Rosa, Christobal, Silvana, Juan Pablo (groom)