Wedding in Ecuador

amyncarlos · July 2010

This may be a long shot, but is there anyone out there that is planning or has been to a wedding in Ecuador that could offer any advice on major differences between weddings there and in the states?

My fiance is from Guayaquil and we are planning our wedding in Salinas in March of 2011. I have one friend there that is going to help me with planning but I would like to see if anyone else has any advice.

I put the wedding website together in both english and spanish, and my sister-in-law is designing two sets of invitations and save-the-dates in each language. I already bought my dress here and brought it there on my last trip down and left it at his parents house.

I will be moving to Ecuador in September and plan on living there for the next two years or so, so I will be able to work directly with florists, photographers etc.

My major concerns are that I don't know what is traditional in an Ecuadorian wedding and how to make sure everything goes smoothly for my guests from Minnesota who are coming down for the wedding. Also any advice on appropriate attire for the wedding party, I really like the idea of knee-length chiffon dresses for the girls and khaki suits for the guys.

Thanks!!

Transparence · July 2010

I am from Ecuador, but I got married here in the US.

Ecuadorian wedding traditions.

We usually have 2 weddings, the civil one that is in front of a judge and the church one.

In the civil one you can choose to go to the Civil Registry and get married there (is awful) or for extra money have the judge to go to a house and get married there, is usually just for family and close friends. If you choose to go to the office, usually you go out to eat afterwards and if is in a home you have dinner.

If you choose not to have a church wedding, then the civil wedding have to be bigger.

The church wedding, is usually at night, you are getting married in Salinas, so I guess your reception will be in a house (that is the usual). There is also a Hilton in Salinas and the Yatch Club.

We dont have rehearsal dinner.

In the wedding reception, there is the receiving line, then the toast, we dont have bridal party, bride and groom entrance. The first dance is the waltz and you also dance that with your father, etc.

The dancing is very important usually there is a lot of tropical music.

There is a traditional sweet table surrounding the cake (usually fake cake) and the real cake is put in little boxes or bags to take as favors.

Usually to plan a wedding just takes around 6 months, so you will have plenty of time, to seatch for florists, photographers, etc. Tell your future family to send you the Hogar de Novias, that just came out, it has a lot of information about the traditions and the best vendors.

As for the bridal attire, as is a beach wedding, I think is appropriate.

If you have any more questions just ask me.

amyncarlos · July 2010

I bought the Hogar de Novias when I was there in May! Also my fiance's mom gave me a copy of Cosas-Novia edition so I got a lot of useful information from there.

It makes sense now that there are not bridal parties. I kept asking my fiance about this and he never seemed to know what I was talking about. However I would still like to include my best friends in the wedding, so we might have one anyways.

I am sure I will have more questions once I get under way with the planning in Sept.

Transparence · July 2010

There is bridal party, what we dont have is mixed bridal party.

We have bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearer, what we dont have is groomsmen

.

lita17 · September 2011

Hi, Just read your post. If I read it way before I would have givin you some pointers. But I hope everything came out well. Things are nto taht bad and more affordable. Well I hope you the best. And I hope U R enjoying life in Ecuador Salinas is one of the beaches I love to go when I hit Ecua plus Montanitas too.

Jekamania · May 2012

Hi, planning a wedding in my finances hometown of Guayaquil- my family is from Chicago. Any recommendations on location & Safety. My family is worried about crime there - the US travel abroad websites like to scare people. She wants to get married on the beach, so we are searching for a good spot for a beach wedding - don't want to do it at most expensive place, but want a nice wedding. Any recommendations?