Willson Contreras: Married Man
By Tab Bamford
The act of handing out rings became a bit of a trend on the Cubs’ young roster since they won the World Series in 2016.
Since Kris Bryant got married in January 2017, Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras and Javy Báez have all proposed to the women in their lives.
Contreras and his wife, Andrea Villamizar, met in Venezuela and started appearing together on the others’ social media feeds early in the 2017 season. Contreras told La Vida Baseball they “clicked instantly,” and decided to take their relationship to the next level earlier this year.
For Contreras, who announced his engagement on Instagram on Valentine’s Day this year, the planned wedding date had some moving pieces that were out of the couple’s control.
The two planned to be married on a beautiful day in April when they could have their parents together in Chicago. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other ideas. The first date they picked was lost when the Cubs needed to make up a rain out. The second date they selected was lost to a snow day.
The two decided to stop talking about it and make it happen the next time the Cubs were off in Chicago. So, when the Cubs had a home day off on May 3, the couple headed to Chicago City Hall to get married while their parents were in town.
Family Attendance
It was important for Contreras to have his parents there for the ceremony.
“It means everything to me,” Contreras said. “Getting married is a huge part of anyone’s life, and having my family there meant the world to me because they’ve been an integral part of my success and me getting to where I am today.”
Because of the political turmoil in Venezuela, Contreras said his family spends as much time in the United States as possible. His parents’ visas allow them to be in the U.S. for six months each year.
It was equally important for Villamizar to have her mother at the wedding ceremony as well.
“Her mom was here for about a month and was at the ceremony with us,” he said. “She had to go back to Venezuela soon after we got married to handle her other responsibilities, but it was really special to have time with her here.”
However, the situation in Venezuela is constantly on the mind of every ballplayer from the country. For Contreras, how – and when – the couple celebrates with their extended families is something they’re still discussing.
Although he acknowledges that the situation in Venezuela is “very unstable,” the couple is thinking of returning to celebrate their wedding with their families back home.
Contreras’ career is only beginning. He looks forward to having a partner by his side.
“It’s the love you have for that person who’s going to be there for you through the good days and the bad days, when you get home from a game or road trip, who’s there to support you.” he said. “It’s human nature to want to be with someone who’s going to be with you through it all.”
Now that his wedding plans have overcome their weather delays, Contreras can focus on chasing another World Series ring on the field with his teammates.
Featured image: Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport