The wedding custom most clearly kept alive in Asturias today is the espicha. It did not begin as a wedding rite. It is one of the Asturian customs that have been preserved over the years and that, in time, have found their way into other celebrations, weddings among them. An espicha is a gathering around cider served straight from the barrel, with simple food shared by everyone. Its meaning is the same as it always was: bringing people together, eating and drinking together and celebrating something shared. That is why it fits so naturally into a wedding, even though it was not created for one.
The espicha, before the wedding
At weddings, the espicha is usually held before the ceremony. In Asturias we do things our own way, and many of the couples who decide to hold an espicha prefer to organise it before the wedding rather than leave it for the day itself. It then becomes a kind of wedding eve. The couple welcome family and friends in a more relaxed atmosphere than the reception, and the wedding follows with part of the party already behind them. This happens in Gijón and in other parts of Asturias too.
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A custom from western Asturias
There is another tradition, less well known and very different, that belongs to the western part of the region. In the mountains of western Asturias, the bride is not taken to her new home until four or five days after the wedding. The ceremony and the move are two separate moments. Getting married does not mean moving that same day, and the bride leaves the family home later, a few days afterwards.
What endures
In short, the tradition that endures most strongly is the espicha. It has gone from being a general Asturian celebration to forming part of many weddings, especially in the days beforehand. Alongside it, local customs survive, such as the one in the mountainous west, showing that in Asturias there is no single way to celebrate a wedding. Each area keeps its own timings and its own gestures.
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How to include these traditions
If a couple are thinking of including any of these traditions, the first step is to decide whether they want an espicha and when. Held before the wedding, as many Asturian couples do, the espicha works as a separate, more informal gathering. On the day itself, it becomes part of the main celebration. It is worth talking it over with the family early on, because it is usually the older generation who best remember how these things were done in each village. If any branch of the family comes from western Asturias, it is worth asking them about their customs. There may be one you would like to bring back.
Links
Information checked on: turismoasturias.es.
