Peru has a mythical atmosphere, bathed in ancient history and magical legends. It’s no wonder then that Peruvian wedding traditions are a magical extravaganza of color, curious rituals, and even a spirited ‘crazy hour.’
Perhaps you are of Peruvian descent, looking to incorporate some of your heritage into your big day, or you are looking for inspiration so that your wedding is unique.
Either way, you will love this post on Peruvian wedding traditions. Keep reading, get inspired, and get colorful!
Traditional Peruvian Wedding Dress
When it comes to traditional Peruvian wedding dresses, it is all about color! The wedding attire for everyone involved is multi-colored, bright, and cheerful. Think about splashes of blue, pink, red, yellow, violet, and more!
Many of the garments feature geometric patterns and ornamental add-ons. In a traditional wedding, the bride and groom choose local textiles and styles, which are handwoven.
Usually, these garments include a woven skirt with many layers for the bride and a woven poncho for the groom. Occasionally, the bride and groom will both wear ponchos specially made for a wedding.
The outfits are an essential part of Peruvian culture. So, in a truly traditional wedding, the bride and groom will avoid the Western-style tuxedo and white dress.
However, nowadays, many young people choose to combine modern, Western wedding traditions and traditional Peruvian customs for a multicultural wedding.
Peruvian Traditional Wedding Ancestor’s Speech
Ancestors are a central part of Peruvian culture, and the elderly are very respected in the communities. So, rather than a ‘best man speech’ typical of Western weddings, the Peruvians have a tradition of an ancestor’s speech.
During the wedding ceremony, an elder from the family of either the bride or groom will make a speech. The speech will remind a couple of their duties to one another and the sanctimony of marriage. The elder will also give the couple their blessing, wishing them a lifetime of happiness together.
Curious Peruvian Wedding Traditions
Besides a bright and colorful wedding, there are a couple of curious and exciting Peruvian wedding traditions that are worth noticing. Many of these traditions are thousands of years old and have remained as important today as ever.
Despacho
Pachamama, Mother Earth, is one of the oldest deities in Peruvian culture. Giving an offering to Pachamama is a tradition that is incredibly sacred and ancient. This ritual symbolizes the relationship between the material and spiritual world, between humans and nature.
The Peruvians believe that in this ritual of giving and receiving, the relationship will remain in balance and harmony between mother nature and humans.
So, Pachamama is very much a part of wedding traditions in Peru. A symbolic sacrifice is made to Mother Earth, and it is called Despacho.
A piece of woven fabric is placed on the ground, and items made from natural materials, such as food and flowers, are placed on top. Each wedding guest will place a cocoa leaf on the fabric and verbalize their wishes for the couple.
When every guest has added leaves to the arrangement, the Despacho is given to the bride and groom. They can either choose to burn it or bury it, thereby offering their sacrifice to Pachamama.
Doll Burial
During the wedding ceremony, a doll burial will take place. Although this sounds quite macabre, it is a fascinating wedding tradition in Peru.
The two dolls represent the bride and the groom. They are wrapped in cocoa leaves along with a tree seed. When buried in the ground, the dolls will be at the root of a tree that will go and flourish, much like the couple’s relationship and love.
Cintas de la Torta
Every wedding needs a bouquet throwing moment. In Peru, they do things a little differently. It is essentially a cake pull that uses a ring or charm. Rather than using the traditional Peruvian wedding rings for this ritual, it is usually an inexpensive ring just used for the game.
This ring is tied to a ribbon and attached to the base of the wedding cake. Then, a few other ribbons are attached to the cake base, but they don’t have any rings. The wedding guests will not be able to see which ribbon has the ring on it.
Just before the cake is cut, the single women will come up and pull a piece of ribbon from the cake. Yep…you guessed it! The lucky lady who pulls the ribbon with the ring attached will marry next.
La Hora Loca
Peruvian weddings are one big party! There is a lot of food, festivities, and dancing involved, and the celebration usually carries on late into the night. La Hora Loca, the Crazy Hour, happens just when you think the party is about to die down.
The music goes louder, the lights go off, and wedding guests are given many fun party toys, such as balloons, glow sticks, light-up gadgets, and glittering masks.
From wedding to rave just like that, and the party keeps going!
What Do You Think of These Peruvian Wedding Traditions?
Wow, Peruvian weddings seem like one big celebration! From the brightly colored wedding attire to the crazy hour, it must be an experience like no other. Add to that the spiritual elements of sacrifices to Pachamama and the doll burial, and it is a beautiful expression of a couple beginning their lives together.
How about incorporating some of these amazing Peruvian wedding traditions into your big day? We know that planning a wedding is stressful. That is why Wedding Details is committed to providing you with every resource to help you plan your dream ceremony and celebration. Check out our wedding planning tools to get you started!
Wedding Details is your comprehensive guide to all aspects of your wedding. From traditional ceremonies to questions regarding the guests, our website offers you one place to do all your research.