Traditional Wedding

Watching a traditional Mexican boda is a bit like studying the history of the country over the past seven centuries. Rituals, customs and traditions informed by the Spanish, Aztec, Native American, and Anglo-American cultures are found throughout the wedding, many of which carry the connotations of years of subjugation and hardship. But as seriously as these symbolic gestures are treated, themood of the reception is far from somber.
“The people of Mexico love to throw parties,” says Camelú Millán, a master bridal consultant based in Mexico City. “And weddings are the perfect occasion to host a fantastic event.”
Want to have a gran fiesta while still respecting tradition? Consider incorporating these details into the wedding:
The promise ring. Many Mexican couples have longengagements, so sometimes a pre-engagement ring or “promise ring” is presented to the bride-to-be up to a year before she receives the actual engagement ring.
Before the wedding. Before the bride and her attendants leave her house for the wedding ceremony, the bride’s mother will say a prayer together with the bride. Similar to the Anglo-American superstition, it is considered bad luck for thegroom to see the bride before the ceremony.
Padrinos. Godparents often act as sponsors for the wedding, providing emotional and sometimes financial support for the newlywed couple. The padrinos guide the couple through the engagement period and are honored in the ceremony program. The padrinos may also perform a reading, or present the bride and groom with a bible or rosary during the ceremony.The wedding party attendants are also called padrinos, or the female version madrinas.
The bride’s clothing. The bride sews three ribbons—yellow, blue, and red—into her lingerie for good luck. The ribbons are meant to ensure the availability of food, money, and passion in the years to come. The bride wears a mantilla veil, or a dress with flamenco-inspired ruffles or a bolero jacket. Sometraditional Mexican wedding dresses will have lots of colorful embroidery. In some instances, the bride will carry a fan in lieu of flowers. It is considered bad luck for the bride to wear pearls on her wedding day, as pearls symbolize the tears that the bride will shed over the course of her marriage.
The groom’s clothing. The groom will often wear tight pants and an embroidered bolerojacket, much like the outfit a bullfighter would wear.
The ceremony. A large portion of the Mexican people are raised within the Roman Catholic tradition, so the ceremony is typically follows the structure of a full Roman Catholic mass.
Color scheme. The bride wears white, and white is also the color of the flowers that decorate the ceremony site. Bridesmaids and guests often wear red, and thereception venue is often decorated with several vibrant primary colors.
Kissing the cross. The priest makes the sign of the cross over the groom’s head, which the bride then kisses in a gesture of faithfulness.
Gold coins. In a tradition dating back to ancient Rome, it is customary for the groom to present the bride with coins during the ceremony. The ritual of the thirteen gold coinsoriginated in Spain, where the number represents Jesus and the twelve apostles. The gift of the coins is meant to represent the groom’s commitment to support his wife throughout their life together, and her acceptance symbolizes her promise to take care of him. The madrina de arras holds the gold coins, which are often contained in an ornate box or gift tray, and the priest blesses them during theceremony.
The lasso. As a symbol of unity, a cord, white ribbon, or string of rosary beads is placed around the necks of the bride and groom after they exchange their vows. The tradition of el lazo dates back to the days of Spanish rule over the Aztecs, but it is still used today in traditional Catholic ceremonies.
Offering to the Virgin Mary. At the end of the ceremony, the bride offers her...