FABBY: Victoria's First Communion Part TWO

Hello sweet friends!

   Now that the first part of Victoria's First Communion is over, I will share the second part, where our little princess is center stage here, plus her mother who is the one who executed, designed and worked hard for the success of this First Communion, a very important event in her little girl's life, will be a memorable occasion for her daughter and for the family.

"A lot of you say that children usually do their First Communions along with the school children, around Easter timer in the US, or other countries, as I did myself."
 The same goes here in the Catholic schools, where it's held in May and June; but Victoria's school is private and founded by the 'Opus Dey' group, and while they do prepare children in a group, they have a choice to do it alone so all the girls can attend each of their classmates celebrations in the dates chosen by them, so it's fun too for the girls, and by the way, it's an all girls school too.

I must point out that where Sofia lives is Guayaquil-Ecuador, where is very hot most of the time, so children start school in May because the weather gets cooler, like in the 80's or less, and their vacation starts at the end of January; therefore the FCs are held from September on. Now in the Andean region, where we live is like in the USA or Europe...school starts in Sept. and vacation is in June.

I will explain under each photo some things that you might want to know. Ok, again lots of photos, so you might as well get comfy.

Here is Victoria ready to be another little 'Bride of Christ.' Alejandro managed to take some pics while the photographer they hired was making the family pose, that's why you won't see pics of us the grands, as Sofia will have to send some of Victoria posing with us.

The proud mother and daughter

Victoria's gorgeous First Communion dress was bought in Miami, at a special children's Spanish boutique called Pili Carrera, which specializes in this kind of special occasions, like weddings, First C's, Baptisms, etc. Sofia bought it last June when we went together.

The dress is from Spain, specially made for FC girls. Notice the little roses in the neck, arms and blouse of the dress.

The pale pink silk dress little Cayetana is wearing is also from the same Spanish boutique, "Pili Carrera" in Miami.

The day was very sunny so the pics came out quite clear, but the dress was full with small roses around the neck, arms, waist and bottom of the dress. Maybe you can't appreciate the beauty of Victoria's dress in the photos, which little Cayetana will wear when her time comes in another three years. 

Giancarlo, Victoria and Sofia.

The four of them.

Victoria is posing next to her beautiful cake. Wrapped in white is a special Candy that's all around the cake, and they're made of 'dulce de leche' and it's customary in First Communions.

Me with my darling Victoria and my dear Sil, Alejandro's sister who is married to my Newyorker brother too, lol!

OMG!...I almost forgot to add this pic of my sweet mother and great-grandmother of Victoria!
I must add that she has another g'grand from her dad's side too, but I have no photo to show you and she's a darling lady too.

Going inside the small church.

Victoria with the altar behind her waiting for everyone to come in for the service.

I'd love to point out that Victoria was the happiest girl I've ever seen, as she is very committed to her religion because of her school and parents.

Finally the moment she so was waiting for and has prepared for the past year.

Look at her little sister in the back in total amazement, hehehee

With some classmates and little cousins.

I did manage to take a pic of Victoria with her other grandparents. Ours was taken by the hired photographer, so no one took this shots, but I'm hopping Sofia will give us a copy of the photos.

Victoria with her aunt, my dear daughter Alexandra and my dear Sofia.

Somehow I managed to catch Alejandro at church, as he hates me taking pics of him and anyone else for that matter! There are no guests shots by me cause he 'prohibited,' lol...although the photographer they hired did that job, so I don't have them as of yet!

Thank you so much for the wonderful and lovely comments you sweet and kind friends sent me on the First Communion's first part; some even made me shed a little sentimental tier or two from your generosity and kindness, really.

My Victoria and her family are so grateful too; specially Sofia as she knows how I appreciate your comments and so does she.

My big appreciation to the lovely and gracious hostesses for having us at their great parties with this special post.

LOVE,
FABBY

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Victoria's First Communion Part ONE

Hello sweet friends!

I finally gathered lots some pictures from my dear granddaughter's First Communion, a week ago. This photos were taken mostly by Alejandro and me, as there are professional ones too, which hope to get from my daughter one day.

My daughter Sofia arranged the flowers in the dining room, specially the decoration of her amazing 'Table of Sweets,' which she also designed and executed, as here in Ecuador is the custom and tradition for the dessert in a luncheon, as this one. I was there two days before to give her a hand, although she had everything under control.

 There were amazing flowers arrangements throughout her lovely home and in the luncheon tables, which she had professionally done by her supervision and choice of flowers, because it would have been to much for her alone.

The tradition here for a child's First Communion is the 'Table of Sweets,' which consists of beautiful arrangements of many, many small sweets of all types, some even with FC decorations in them, of course. Everything is always grand as a First Communion is considered the most important 'Sacrament of the Catholic Faith' in a child's life, I'd say for all Latin Americans.

I also brought some cute sweets from Cuenca, the city where Sofia grew up and we live still, because she had many memories from her own FC. Anyway, I will be explaining under each photo.

Here goes, so please sit down and get comfortable because there are many pics in the 'First Part' of Victoria's First Communion. Hope you enjoy it and come for the 'Second Part,' where you will finally see Victoria in her gorgeous white dress and the rest of us.



Sofia and Victoria the day before checking that the caterers where doing everything the way they wanted. Weather in Guayaquil is always hot like Summer in the US, sometimes a little cooler like now.
The tent you see here is for the luncheon buffet.

Assembling chiffon fabric canopies or awnings, because of the hot sun in the middle of the day. The huge 'river' you see in back of her yard is a maritime river. Alejandro loves to be photographing ships when they go by.

All set for the luncheon buffet.

Sofia had assembled in her garage a pretty and fun buffet for the 38 little girls from Victoria's class. They were going to have some kind of entertainment as well.

This is how her back yard looked like the night before. The tables for her 60 adults guests are way back, so the following day we would place the beautiful flower arrangements and that would be all.

This is a sample of the flower vases for each table of 10. They all had these lovely lace tablecloths too. In the back some of the boxes of little sweets that kept arriving the day before.

The flowers for the tables all ready the night before.

A platter with little sweets and like I said, a First Communion in Ecuador is not a FC if you don't offer hundreds of these adorable and delicious sweets to your guests for dessert. Look at the marzipan ones with birds and bibles on top, so cute! I didn't show you all of them as there were close to fifteen varieties and most of them were 100 of each. They were wonderful!

Sofia arranging the sweets in her pretty white trays, the night before. My helping hands at your right, lol..

At this point we were waiting more to be delivered, so we were leaving spaces in the platters and trays to fill them up.

There are so many sweets in boxes in the kitchen for the refill, as the custom is to have enough so family and guests can take some home in small bags which were also provided.
 
They're also sent after the party, some to the neighbors and to people that laid hands to help out with the F.C.

A small station for coffee or tea which was served after the luncheon. This was also in the back porch. Notice my mother's gift for Victoria, the Bavarian plate and teacup. You can't see, but at your left there was a First Communion album were guests and family wish the child happiness throughout her life in God's trust.

Almost ready!

Sofia bought white carton boxes to raise the trays with the sweets and added a white lace around them to make them festive, and because of all the white here is difficult to appreciate the lace ribbon. A very easy, pretty and inexpensive decor.



This side table is holding the 'First Communion favors,' another tradition and custom we have here in Ecuador and all Latin America.
At left there were cute cloth bags holding sterling pill boxes for the ladies with the face of the 'Virgin Mary' and the square boxes are for the children and they come with Christian legends inside called "Our daily Bread." Children love to read one card each day at dinner time together with their families, as there are 365 for each day of the year; along with religious cards. All these had Victoria's name in it, of course, so the guests will remember her special day of her First Communion.

Sofia made this gorgeous arrangements for her special 'sweets table.' She placed them in each corner of her dinning table in different levels.

The cake was gorgeous too.

I brought Victoria 400 sweets with different shapes, specially cause they are from this region of the country, Cuenca, where Sofia grew up, so she has many memories from her childhood and her very own FC with the little fruit sweets at your left and so many more.

Under the square tray you can see a little of the white lace ribbon around the white box which she bought to raise the platters, or trays.

The entrance all done up with white carnations and green roses.

These white Carnation balls where hanging in the trees as you came in the house. I took the shot at night as in the day time the sun was so bright and you could hardly appreciate them in the photos.

Sofia's amazing design with her 'sweets table' she so proudly worked hard designing and executing. The pretty flowers in the buffet were done up by her, along with the ones in the table. The German crystal urns were also filled with hand made candy wrapped in white.

These are wonderful, as Sofia explained that she saw this arrangement in Internet somewhere...where you put water half way the glass urn and on top you place the oasis where you just stick the greens and the roses and the water keeps clean and it's perfect for glass...I loved it!

Another beautiful arrangement in this Chinese ginger jar. Her orchid plant in the Art Deco vintage side table.

The tables ready for the luncheon, Saturday September 21; after the family and guests would arrive from church from Victoria's First Communion.

I hope you come by for the 'Second Part' of the event so you can finally see Victoria in her White dress and lots of more fun things.

Thank you so much lovely friends for your sweet and generous comments, as they always make my day!

Thanking the gracious hostesses for having me at their wonderful parties each week.

LOVE,
FABBY

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