Mexican Wedding Tradition

Mexican wedding traditions are special to many couples who are proud of their heritage and wish to preserve it through their wedding ceremony and reception. There are plenty of rituals and customs for Mexican Americans to choose from, all of which will add a lovely flair to your special day.

Serve up delicious Mexican food and family recipes.

With Catholicism being a dominant religion in Mexico, wedding ceremonies do not look very unique upon first glance. Like weddings of many other cultures, traditional Mexican ceremony attire for the bride is white and formal. However, the culture is found within the details, such as the bride’s veil for example. A traditional bridal veil in Mexico is known as a mantilla. A chapel length veil with intricate detailing along the edges, it is usually made out of lace and brings a soft and romantic look to any bride. While many Mexican American women choose to wear a typical white gown, some do go to the roots of their culture and wear a bolero jacket with a simple dress, or opt for a Flamenco-style frock. Ultra-traditional brides may wear a white sundress-style dress embroidered with brightly colored flowers and zig zags. This was common bridal apparel for a Mexican bride starting around 600 years ago, and you will still see it occasionally in Mexico today.

For the groom, Mexican weddings offer a variety of options. Ultra formal ceremonies may inspire the man to wear a traditional matador outfit – a bolero jacket and fitted pants. Others choose relaxed drawstring pants in white or ivory paired with a Mexican wedding shirt. The Mexican wedding shirt has also become a popular look for beach weddings, making them readily available in many shops in seaside cities. However, despite its recent surge in trendiness, the Mexican wedding shirt originated over 200 years ago.

A traditional Mexican wedding wouldn’t be complete without this culture’s delicious cuisine. A wedding following tradition will often include spicy rice, different types of beans, and plenty of chicken and beef-based dishes including enchiladas and other main courses that use tortillas and other common Mexican fare. To drink, you will enjoy sangria, which is a mixed drink containing wine, brandy, fruit juice, soda water and a bit of sugar. Mealtime is often enhanced with live music, and sometimes you’ll find a full Mariachi band to serenade the wedding guests.

Since Mexicans tend to be very family oriented, it is not uncommon to see all the women in the family prepare the entire meal for a wedding, and many family recipes are saved and used for such special occasions.

Mexico is predominantly Roman Catholic, and this often comes through during a wedding ceremony. Many couples opt to have a full Catholic mass with their nuptials, while others add in Aztec Indian rituals – another important heritage of Mexico. Since the majority of Mexican couples consider themselves to be Catholic, even if they are not devout, it is often assumed the ceremony will be performed under the guidance and blessing of the Catholic Church.

Mexico puts its own twist on wedding details common in the United States. For example, on their invitations, they often include a complete list of the bridal party and the “sponsors”, which are the people who have paid for the event. This may seem odd to us, as we are not a culture to often call attention to those who foot the bill, but in Mexico, it is quite common to list who is hosting and/or paying for the big day.

A mantilla veil is romantic.

When it comes to the engagement itself, a promise ring is often given a year or so before the formal engagement ring. This is especially popular with family friends who have turned into lovers, or other such situations where there is a long courting period.

Like weddings found in other regions of the world, Mexicans often use children in their ceremony. However, while our young attendants often match the bridesmaids and ushers in their attire, Mexican flower girls and ring bearers often dress to match the bride and groom. It is not uncommon for the flower girl to have a miniature version of the bridal gown, and for the ring bearer’s outfit to be a carbon copy of the husband to be. Another child role often included in Mexican weddings is the “madrina de ramo”, who carries a special bouquet of flowers for the Virgin Mary. This is, again, only in Catholic weddings.

Finally, many Mexican weddings use thirteen coins to be divided between the new husband and wife. This is rooted in an old Roman tradition, and the coins symbolize the groom’s trust and commitment to his bride. The coins are often held in decorative boxes, and are passed down through generations.

Mexican wedding traditions are beautiful and full of history and ritual. Many Mexican-Americans learn more about their culture during their engagement period and choose to incorporate these and other aspects into their nuptials after discovering how rich their roots are in ceremony and tradition..

• New Years Eve Wedding Ideas
• Groom Beach Wedding Attire
• Amazing Wedding Cakes
• Wedding Invitations Quiz
• Wedding Dress Quiz

• Informal Wedding Dresses
• Pictures of Wedding Cakes
• Table Decorating Ideas for a Wedding
• Pictures of Wedding Flowers
• Words of Congratulations for a Wedding

• Wedding Cake Topper
• Miniature Wedding Cakes
• Amish Weddings
• Groom's Cake Ideas
• Category:Wedding Traditions