If you are planning on attending a Mexican wedding or want to include some Mexican traditions in your own wedding, you’ve come to the right place. In this article we’ll explore eight of the most popular wedding traditions celebrated in Mexico.
Mexico’s wedding culture is strongly influence by Catholicism, so many of the traditions reflect aspects of Christianity.
1. Mariachi Bands
One of the most iconic aspects of the Mexican wedding party is a lively mariachi band. You can expect to hear songs like Motivos, Novia Mia and Que Bonito Amor. Sometimes the band will sing a hymn or other religious song during the mass, followed by more festive, upbeat love songs at the reception.
2. Los Padrinos Y Madrinas
Los padrinos y madrinas are the Mexican equivalent of god mother and father. Usually they have been close friends of the bride and groom since their childhood and play an important role in the wedding. They are also generally the main sponsors of the event, paying for a lot of the wedding items like the flowers and wedding coins and throwing an engagement party.
3. Las Arras Matrimoniales – The Wedding Coins
The tradition of Las Arras is a very important custom in the Mexican wedding tradition. Thirteen coins are handed to the couple during the ceremony, representing the handing over of financial responsibility which the couple will take on together. The coins are all the same size and the number 13 represents God and Jesus’ 12 disciples.
4. Lasso – The Mexican Handfasting Tradition
This popular unity ceremony is performed in many Catholic wedding traditions. The Lasso usually consists of a large rosary, flower garden or silk cloth. Either the priest or los padrinos will perform the custom, saying a special blessing as they place the garland on the couple’s shoulders in the pattern of a sideways figure 8 – the symbol of eternity.
5. Bride and Groom’s Attire
The bride will typically wear an elegant, flowing white dress, complemented by a veil which she will remove from her face for the ceremonial kiss of marriage. At many Mexican weddings the groom will wear a guayaberas – a white shirt with intricate decorations sewn onto the front. Matching pants, leather boots and a white sombrero complete the outfit.
6. La Madrina de Ramo – The Wedding Bouquet
A beautiful wedding bouquet typically accompanies the bride and their father down the aisle. Los padrinos y madrinas or a close family member proudly sponsors this part of the wedding. She will then present the flowers to the groom during the ceremony. Some Catholic couples will then place the bouquet at the statue of the Virgin Mary as a prayer for blessings on their marriage.
7. Traditional Food and Drink at Mexican Weddings
A large wedding feast is an essential part of a traditional Mexican wedding. Chiles en nogada, a classic dish where peppers stuffed with ground beef, fruit and spices is one of the most popular dishes. Sauteed shrimp is a popular main course, often served with a tasty cocktail sauce or paella. Pasta is a great dish for feeding a large wedding guest party, and comes in all sorts of delicious forms. Tacos will also likely be somewhere on the menu.
Get ready for a lot of toasting and cheering as well. Classic Mexican beers like Pacifio or Modelo and mezcal shots are some of the most popular drinks. You can be sure there will be enough alcohol to get you through a good night of partying.
8. Mexican Wedding Dances
If you’re planning on attending a Mexican wedding, you better squeeze one or two dance practices in beforehand. “El Caballo Dorado” will very likely be played at some point during the wedding party. Otherwise you can expect to hear songs from artists like Vincento Fernandez, Luis Miguel and Juan Gabriel. You’ll probably also get a wide array of music from energetic, upbeat love songs, to slower soulful ballads.
La Vibora de La Mar or the “Snake Dance” is one of the most popular dances during the wedding party. The bride and groom stand on chairs facing one another, and touch hands while the guests form a long line and dance under the couple’s arch. The goal is to hold the snake formation as long as possible but as the music gets faster and faster it becomes more and more difficult to maintain the line.
Officiate a Mexican Wedding Ceremony
If you want to officiate a Mexican wedding ceremony for one of your friends or family, get ordained online for free! You can get ordained with a number of online organizations by just filling out a simple form that only takes a couple minutes to complete. We highly suggest getting ordained with American Marriage Ministries. There are also other options such as Universal Life Church which also offer free online ordination. Once ordained, you’ll have access to a library of information to help you learn all the aspects of wedding from writing your speech to filling out the marriage license.
– Bernard Paul