Wedding Day

The bride and Groom!!!

Saturday...Wedding Day!! The wedding was to be held at the family home in the north of Ecuador. The place was a hive of activity!! After our ritual "shower" in "El Dique", our day began. Jesus headed off to Otavalo to buy some traditional "Otavalenian" pants to wear for the wedding. Linda also headed off to check out the colourful saturday market there...it´s a must when in Ecuador. I stayed at home to help with the wedding preparations...and to take photos...of course!!
The German contingent were busy finishing off their cakes...decorating some fruit tarts, a roll with fruit and cream inside, Kugelhopf and of course Apple Strudle. Gerti´s mum was rolling out the pastry, and was laughing at the rolling pin here. It was like the one´s we have back home...but in Germany she has a big heavy one which makes rolling the pastry quicker and easier. I told her she would get good muscles  here!!!

Cake decorating

More cake decorating!!

Apple Strudle...YUM!!

The kids and Jesus´ brother Renee were busy making the decorations for the wedding scene. The actual ceremony was being held in "El Dique"...the area at the base of the property with the small waterfall (where we shower most mornings!!!). The decorations; 3 bamboo posts, with small holes drilled all over and covered with flowers and branches and fruit, and also an arch made with cut bamboo and decorated with flowers and leaves. All the flowers were collected from the garden at the house.

Naomi and Diego post decorating.

The post decorating process!!

Camilla and Joscelyne post decorating!!

Joscelyne post decorating!!

A family affair!!

The pretty flowers.

Taking them down to the wedding scene.

Installation!!

A pretty post!!

Decorating the wedding arch.

Making floral decorations to hang from the arch.

Down at the open fire...where lots of cooking is done...was Dona Maria, a lady who came to help with cooking the fritada (the poor pig who met his destiny yesterday!!) and the tostados (yummy toasted corn which is served with the soup).

The poor pig!!

The log fire for cooking.

Cooking fritada.

For the meat lovers...this pan was a dream come true!!! Fritada!!

Doña Maria and Mama Maria preparing to toast the corn.

A big pan of corn!!

Cook corn cook!!

Others were off running errands, cooking, cleaning, chopping. I helped with some of the food preparation...but was busy playing reporter...documenting the day with photos!!! Everyone was relaxed and happy and enjoying the day.

Mama Maria peeling potatoes.

Jesus´ sister Marta.

Floor washing time!!

The fridge was also ready for the party ahead!!

What else does a fridge need...the National beer...Pilsner!!!

Jesus got back from Otavalo at about 10.00...rushing back to help, to find there wasn´t really that much to do!!! So...he put to work making some floral decorations; a bouquet for the bride and some arrangements in Spaghetti melons!!! he made holes in the melons and put flowers in them...they looked really beautiful. Maybe he has missed his calling in life!!

Jesus with his work of art!!!All flowers from the garden.

The flowers and the cake decoration!!

Watch out grooms!!

Floral decorating a spaghetti melon!!

Jesus´ works of art.

The tables were all set, and the place was ready for a party!!!

One of the many table settings!!

A bite to eat for lunch.

At about 1.00, I went down to the town to meet Linda...then it was time to shower and get ready for the wedding. Some of the Germans were really cute...dressed in their traditional dresses and Leiderhausen.
Jesus also looked cute (well I think so anyway!!!)...dressed in his "made up" traditional outfit. His colourful pants from Otavalo here, a shirt bought literally from the back of a man in Peru last trip, a vest from Bolivia and a "farqua" around his waist (a traditional woven, colourful band worn by many of the indigenous people here). Linda bought him a pair of apalgatos...traditional sandals worn by the Otavalenian men, but they were too small. So...on his feet...gumboots!!! Yep...he is individual!!!

Jesus and Karen and Danae.

A Happy couple!!

Check out the footwear!!

Niece Nahomi...how pretty!!

God-daughter Danae.

Jesus and Matheus.

Again!!

Gerti, her dad and daughter.

Gerti and daughter Aitana.

The ceremony was at 3.00. Marco walked down with the family...Gerti arrived in a car with her Dad and some of the kids.

The wedding scene from the house above.

The groom arriving.

Elvia (sister), Carlos (brother), Evelyne (niece), Marco and Jesus.

Happy Brothers.

Marco and Mama Maria.

Handsome hey!!

Again!!

And again!!

Waiting for Marco to arrive.

Jesus being Jesus!!

Waiting for the bride to arrive.

Gerti arriving with her dad.

In true Ecuadorian style, the people providing amlification for the ceremony also rocked up at 3.00 (the time the ceremony started!!!). Then, they charged the system using their car battery!! Only in Ecuador!!!

Ecuadorian sound system!!!

It was a pretty setting for the ceremony...with the waterfall and all the pretty home-made floral decorations.

The wedding scene.

Again!!

And again!!

The floral arch...again, flowers from the garden.

The ceremony went for about half an hour. With some singing provided by the Germans and a violin solo by Gerti´s uncle.

The ceremony.

Bride and groom.

Brother Carlos reading.

Gerti´s uncle playing violin.

A closer look!!

More ceremony pics.

The German´s singing.

Family shot.

Guess who!!

Nieces Paulina and Joscelyne and nephew Sebastian.

Jesus´ sister Blanca.

Miss Linda.

Gorgeous niece Nahomi.

The wedding setting.

Another angle.

The rings were bought down in a little birds nest found somewhere on the property...cute!!

The rings.

Blessing the rings.

Exchanging rings.

Ahhh...the kiss!!

The happy bride and groom.

The ceremony went for about 1/2 an hour, followed by some photo taking before we all walked back up to the house

The Family.

The German family and friends.

Marco and Gerti

Gerti´s mum and aunt.

Marco, Gerti, Maru and Aitana.

Marco, Gerti and their 3 kids.

Walking back up to the house.

The path to the house with Volcano Imbaburra as the backdrop.

We were greeted at the house by this amazing array off cakes being served by Gerti´s Mum, Dad and Aunt. Apparently it is a German tradition serve coffe and cake immediately after the ceremony. YUM!!! Check out these cakes!!!

The cake display!!

Yum!!

Serving the cakes.

 So...before the party really began...some serious cake eating was done!!!

Niece Joscelyne enjoying a plateful of cake!!

God Daughter Danae...looks like she enjoyed the cake!!

Marco´s daughter Aitana.

Mama Maria and her cake!!

Then...let the party begin!!! A night of music and dancing and eating and FUN!!!

A bit of dancing outside!!

A bit of dancing inside!!

Marco, Jesus and Matheus.

More damcing!!

Yep...more dancing!!

Gerti's mum and dad enjoying a boogie!!

Marco, Gerti and lovely Linda.

Happy sister-in-laws!!

Princesses Nahomy and Danae!!

Nahomy and her Tia!!!

Nieces Evelyne and Joscelyne.

Niece Alfonsina and her Tia!!

Nieces Alfonsina and Yessenia.

Dinner was soup, followed by the pig fritatda, served with mote ( a type of corn), salad, platano (a type a sweet banana grilled or fried, and of course chilli sauce!!  People were sitting everywhere...tables set for "special people"...the rest on chairs wherever you could find a space!!!

Dishing up the soup.

Dinner time!!

Special People´s table!!

Then...party. Dancing all over the place!!! At one stage...during a "rest" from dancing...we all gathered in the dining area. People were giving presents and reading messages...some from friends and family in Germany...so I gave a message/greeting from Australia....and Jesus on behalf of the local beer Pilsner!!!

Marco and Gerti receiving their gifts and presentations.

Gerti´s dad reading a message in Spanish.

A painting done by close friend Tobias.

Jesus presenting his gift...Pilsener!!

 Gerti´s mum played a song on the recorder, the German´s sang a song, a brother-in-law Lucio and also a niece Joscelyne sang songs and one of the German guys did a traditional Liederhausen dance. I ended up also playing "El Condor Pasa" ( a traditional Andean song) on the violin. Gerti´s uncle kindly lent me his violin...I was very nervous!!!

Gerti´s mum.

Karen!!

A Liederhausen dance!!

Jesus´ brother Carlos reading a poem that he wrote.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog...Jesus and I joined in a traditional German torch dance...organised by Gerti's mum and Aunt. This was done out the front of the house after these presentations. It was done at night with fire torches, accompanied by Gerti´s mum playing the recorder...I think it must have looked really pretty.

The torch dance.

Another formation!!

Later in the evening, the family had organised a Mariachi band as a surprise for Marco and Gerti...it was lots of fun.

Marco and Gerti enjoying the Mariachi band.

Marco having a sing along!!

The band also played happy Birthday to our niece Nahomy who also celebrated her 8th birthday today.

Nahomy and her mum Elvia.

The kids enjoying a dance.

The rest of the night...dancing and drinking and dancing and dancing and general sillyness!! I lasted until about 5am...I think Jesus came to bed at 8am!!!

Us enjoying a dance!!

More dancing!!

Brother-in-law Lucio having a sing along.

Traditional presentation to the bridesmaid and groom...a plate of cuy (guinea pig) and potatoes!!

And some beer to go along with it!!

A really fun day and night was had by all. The family here are great...they are all very close and enjoy being together and enjoying a lot of fun and sillyness.Mama Maria was just plain happy to have all her family around her. All her 10 kids and countless grandkids and even 2 great grand kids!!! until our next travel tale,
Lots of love
Llamas Bailando xxoo