Traditional Mexican weddings are deeply rooted in traditions and the Catholic church. Wedding planning starts after the bride’s father gives his blessing to the groom-to-be to marry his daughter. In this article, I will provide you with a list of ten things that will make the wedding traditional.
Los Padrinos y Madrinas (Godparents)
Padrinos and madrinas (Godparents) are individuals asked by the bride and groom and sometimes the family to assist with planning some of the details of the wedding. These are individuals held in high respect of the bride and groom. Many times they become wedding sponsors and help pay for the different aspects of the ceremony. For example, they often give the bride and groom a set of rosary beads, a bible, and a kneeling pillow used during the Catholic wedding ceremony. They also assist with other ceremony details such as arras, bouquet, arras, and el Lazo. In addition, they will often be part of the ceremony, like during el Lazo. The godparents may pay for many of the details at the reception. For example, they will pay for the cost of the cake and photographer. The music and the liquor will also be paid for by them as well.
Catholic Wedding Ceremony
With Catholicism deeply rooted in the Mexcian culture, it is tradition to have a Catholic mass wedding ceremony. At the beginning of the ceremony, the godparents will give the bride and groom the rosary, bible, and kneeling pillow they are gifting to them. Next, the bride and groom will stand or kneel at the altar while exchanging their vows and rings during the ceremony. The Catholic priest will then give the liturgy of the Eucharist (communion).
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Las Arras Matrimonials (Marriage Coins)
The wedding also includes exchanging 13 coins traditionally gifted by the padrinos y madrinas (godparents). Twelve coins are gold and represent each month of the year and one silver or platinum coin to share with the poor. The priest blesses the coins and gives them to the groom to present to the bride. The coins represent the groom’s promise to always provide for his wife and their family. When the bride accepts the coins, this is her promise to her husband she will always keep their money safe and household maintained.
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El Lazo (Wedding Lasso)
The lasso ceremony is when the bride and groom are joined together by a rope. The act of joining the couple together with the lasso represents their unity as one. Any material can make the rope, but it is traditionally from rosary beads, flower garland, or silk cords. The godparents traditionally gift the lasso. They can be the godparents of the entire ceremony or just of the lasso ceremony. The godparents are the people who wrap the couple in the rope that will last until the wedding ceremony is complete.
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Presenting the Bouquet
The newlyweds will go together and pray to the Virgin Mary statue, asking her to bless their marriage. They will then present her with a flower bouquet that the bride used during the ceremony.
La Callejoneada (Wedding Parade)
After the church ceremony is complete, the wedding party moves to the reception. In some Mexican towns, they do a parade down the street celebrating the newlyweds. If you do not live in a city where you can safely dance through the city street, you can do La Callejoneada from the parking lot into the reception hall.
Mariachi Bands
It’s not a traditional Mexican wedding without the sound of a local Mariachi band playing. They will play the marching music for the parade as the wedding party moves through the city’s streets and continue performing for guests during the reception.
Mexican Wedding Reception Food
As the wedding party moves from the street into the reception, they will find tables full of delicious food. The food can include tamales, fresh tortillas for pork carnitas, and tacos, along with enchiladas and tamales.
Of course, there will be alcohol flowing celebrating the newlyweds. They will have a bar with various Mexican beers, and who can forget the tequila. For the children and guests not drinking alcohol, they will typically have several flavors of agua fresca.
It wouldn’t be a traditional Mexican wedding reception if it didn’t have the classic tres leches cake along with pan dulce and buñueloas.
Special Dances
During a traditional Mexican wedding reception, the newlyweds perform special dances. The traditional first dance is with the bride and groom’s parents. The bride will first dance with her father, and the groom will dance with his mother.
The bride and groom will then perform the money dance. The money dance is where the reception guests pay the bride and groom to dance with them. The money dance is a way that the newlyweds can collect money to start their marriage. Then, they can use it in any way they please.
The bride and groom will do La Vibora de La Mar (The Sea Snake Dance) to get the reception guests up and dancing. This dance will have the bride and groom make an arch using either their hands or a piece of material. Then, the guests will hold on to each other’s hands or waist and snake through the reception hall doing a figure eight under the arch. The dance is traditionally done twice, once for the women and then once for the men.
Tornaboda
To finish up the festivities, the bride and groom will have an after-party known as a tornaboda. This party will be on a much smaller scale, only including immediate family members and close friends. Most likely, this party would take place on the day after the wedding and reception.