A Mexican Wedding / Fiesta in pictures

The wedding went off without a hitch and the party afterward did indeed go into the wee hours of the morning. 

This photo was taken in the church, which was filled with literally hundreds of lilies.  The service was lengthy and included many readings, hugs from family members, that's Tania's mother in the green dress coming to embrace her at the altar. It also included the ringing of bells, and communion.  One part that I liked involved the siblings of the bride and groom draping them with a crystal beaded cross. 

As the bride came down the aisle the enormous chandelier was lighted.  And I thought it was a very Mexican touch that it had a green balloon hanging on it from an earlier event.

The service lasted about an hour and a half and then we drove to a hacienda / hotel where the huge tent had been set up in a grassy area for the party. There were over 300 guests all seated at round tables decorated with flowers.  Just as we arrived, so did the bride and groom accompanied by a waterfall of fireworks.

They sat at their own table on a raised dais garlanded by flowers, where they held court while we were served a marvelous four course meal including the best Spanish wine and whatever drinks you wished.  

After dinner the dancing began, first with Tania and Jose, then different family members dancing together.  Here Jose is dancing with his mother and Tania with her father.  Eventually the dancing opened up to all comers and the floor was jammed.  Waiters started to serve drinks and bring different festive objects like bobbes, shakers, masks, sombreros, and coloured ribbons for dancers to wear.  

Here's Harry wearing a mask and yours truly with bobble lights!

There were lots of formal games, some familiar and others quite different.  Here's Tania throwing her bouquet. This was followed by Jose throwing a garter. then games that included people ritually drinking tequila, donning masks and snaking across the dance floor.  I'm posting these photos quite large so you can see the wonderful flouncy dresses worn by many of the young women.

Harry and I had a great time watching and also dancing to all kinds of different music.  Around 2:30 the waiters brought out slippers and big blowup shoes, and I think shortly after that the sprayer full of booze came out. 

But we were ready to go home by then, not really wanting to stay up past 3:00 or so, so we missed that part. Apparently it was 5:30 or 6:00 before the party wound up.

The next day there was a more subdued gathering at an uncle's house where people wandered in to sit around eating tacos and drinking tequila and vodka tonics and reminiscing about the night before.  Jose and Tania are heading to Cancun for a honeymoon and since we're going to be in the area we may get together for dinner one evening.  They are a really sweet couple who will be living in Vancouver once Tania finishes school in April.