South America is a magnificent continent, home to rainforests rich with flora and fauna, magnificent tropical beaches, delicious cuisine and a world famous party culture. Here, Black Pearl Weddings focus on some of the wedding traditions observed throughout South America, firstly focusing on Brazil.
It is customary in Brazil for the wedding rings to be engraved, with the name of the wearer’s spouse, and tradition dictates that the Bride must arrive ten minutes later than when the ceremony is scheduled to take place, although she must not arrive later than the groom.
Another widely observed tradition is that as the groom carries his new bride over the threshold of their home or hotel, he must do so right foot first.
During the reception party, the guests will feast on casadinhos, or “Marry Well” cookies, and toast the happy couple with a cocktail known as caipirinha, made from Lime, sugar and cachaça a sugar cane beverage. The name casadinhos translates into “A person coming from the countryside”. The couple will also give presents to their parents as part of the celebrations.
Finally, Brazilian Brides often walk around the tables carrying a basket with "lembrancinhas". Each guest gets an object which to commemorate the wedding, similar to favours.
Moving across to Argentina, generally a newly engaged couple won’t hold engagement parties. When they do, they are a private, family affair. However, the wedding will normally be a big party. The bride and groom often open any gifts in front of guests at the party.
Parents/grandparents will often provide the gold with which the new wedding ring will be made, using a necklace or some other item. During the wedding ceremony the bride and groom wear engagement rings, made from silver and thinner than their wedding rings.
In Chile the wedding rings are also exchanged at the engagement. When the couple is engaged they have a ring on their right hand. After the wedding they'll have it on their left hand.
Venezuelan tradition expects the groom to ask for permission before proposing from his prospective father-in-law. There will be two wedding ceremonies, both a civil and a church one, with the civil ceremony taking place a fortnight before the church wedding.
Both will have a reception party, during which the bride & groom will just disappear, as supposedly brings good luck to their union.
Charms attached with ribbons will be placed between the layers of the wedding cake in Peru. Before the cake is cut, each single woman present at the reception pulls a ribbon. Peruvian belief is that the woman who pulls the ribbon with the ring attached will marry within a year.
In Colombia, a beautiful "candle ceremony" takes place shortly after the wedding ceremony; whereby the happy couple light a candle each. The lit candles are then used to light a third one, together, symbolic of their unity, and new life during which they'll share everything.
Colombian Brides wed in a long, white wedding dress. At the wedding reception, all single guests place a shoe under the brides dress. Groom then selects one shoe, the owner of which will be next to marry.
Colombian bride often puts a coin in her shoe as a symbol of her wish not to get into situation where she would be without basic stuff in life.
In Ecuadorian wedding receptions, the bride and groom give their parents special presents, normally items used by the bride and groom as children.
