Peru mass wedding ceremony sees 109 couples wed in Lima as Valentine's Day tradition

More than 100 couples tied the knot at a mass civil ceremony in Lima, Peru on Thursday, ahead of Valentine’s Day. The Lima Metropolitan Municipality regularly holds community weddings to make civil marriage more accessible to local couples, provide legal protection and speed up the paperwork.

It was the first collective wedding of the year and it brought together 109 couples at the Magic Circuit of Water, one of the Peruvian capital’s best-known attractions. 

Couples queued to record 360-degree videos and take photographs in front of fountains and decorative displays, including giant letters spelling “Love”. Brides adjusted grooms’ ties, had their make-up done on site and posed beside wedding cakes before sealing their vows with a kiss.

“February is an important month for us because Valentine’s Day is practically here, when many couples come together,” groom Jose Mamani Flores said. 

“We chose this month because we’re on holiday and can take advantage of the opportunity to take this step of getting married.”

Isabel Ayala, Human Development Manager at the municipality, said the ceremony reflected the spirit of the season.

“Today we are celebrating our community wedding, the first of the year. We have 109 couples,” she said, noting that participants ranged from young couples to those who had been together for many years and wanted to formalise their relationship.

The ceremony concluded with couples exchanging rings, declaring “I do” and raising their hands in celebration as newlyweds kissed beneath the fountains.

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Valentine's Day Peru Lima mass wedding Wedding ceremony Traditional wedding News civil wedding