Similar to godparents for a child’s baptism, many latino traditions involve godparents for a variety of important life events. The madrinas and padrinos “de boda” offer the couple advice as they enter into marriage and help sponsor certain aspects of the wedding. Padrinos are typically respected members of the community and it's seen as an honor to be asked.

Lizzie and Juan are very proud and grateful to have two sets of padrinos:

Mayda and Ronald Montomery (on the left below)

Mayda is Juan’s cousin on his father’s side

Rosemarie Rinn and Dennis McKearin (on the right below)

Rosemarie or "Ree" is Lizzie’s aunt on her mother's side

The gift-giving ceremony, known as the palpa, has been a part of Huancayan weddings for countless generations, even before the Incan Empire. It is based on reciprocity: having your own palpa but also understanding that you will also share and participate in palpa’s of all of your friends and family in the future. Traditionally, parents, and padrinos de boda all take turns processing into the venue with gifts of bread, fruit, and meat, alongside their respective families. It's not uncommon for livestock, furniture, and trucks to make appearances. As they receive their gifts, the bride and groom must then give back (as a symbolic gesture), the value of each present in cases of beer. Thus begins a rowdy competition of people dancing around their respective beer piles to lively Peruvian music.

You are welcome to bring a gift (small, large or just a notecard) and join in the palpa!

Santiago is a celebration of family, earth, agriculture, and of giving thanks. It's one of the more important festivals in Huancayo and one of Juan’s favorite events when visiting family in Peru. Occurring from late July to early August, the city breaks into several week long parties filled with singing, dancing, drinking, more drinking, and colorful traditional clothing. Santiago is Spanish for "Saint James," from "Santo" meaning "Saint," and "Iago" being a version of "Yago," which is an old Spanish translation of "James." Although the festival is performed in the name of Santiago, it actually comes from a pantheistic tradition where people made an offering to the large mountain, believing that the god of the mountain, known as 'Taita Huamani' or 'Taita Orcco' protected their crops and herds.

Given Santiago season aligns with the wedding, we wanted to bring in elements of the celebration and will be dancing through the streets of Santa Barbara with Orquesta Internacional Peru on the way from the ceremony to the reception.

Both Lizzie and Juan grew up with a unique blend of spiritual and religious influence. There are important to the couple and several of these influences are reflected in the wedding.

Juan was raised with Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and TM practices and cultures. Lizzie's family attended a small church that sought insight from across multiple religions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and others.

Kim, Lizzie's mother, will be doing some readings from influential texts at the ceremony.