A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT A TRADITIONAL MEXICAN 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 combined from the Spanish, Aztec, Native American, and Anglo-American cultures are found throughout the wedding.
The people of Mexico love to throw parties and weddings are the perfect occasion to host a fantastic event. Want to have a grand fiesta while still respecting tradition? Consider incorporating some of these details into your wedding:
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. Some traditional 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 bolero jacket, much like the outfit a bullfighter would wear.
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 the reception 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 13 gold coins originated 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 holds the gold coins, which are often contained in an ornate box or gift tray, and the priest blesses them during the ceremony.
The lazo
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.
The first dance
Traditionally, the wedding guests will join hands and form a heart around the newlywed couple during their first dance.
The money dance
Relatives take turns dancing up to the bride and groom and pinning money on their clothes, which allows the couple to spend a few moments with each of their guests. After the money dance, the groom is ridiculed by his friends, tossed in the air while being covered with the veil, and given an apron and broom. Sometimes he is taken to the bathroom and stripped down to his bare skin. His clothes are then given to the bride, who returns them to her husband.
La Vibora de la Mar
The wedding guests sing this song while ducking under a bridge formed by the bride and groom. At the end of the song, the bride throws her bouquet to the women and the groom throws the bride’s garter to the men.
Wedding Cake
Traditional Mexican wedding cakes are often rum-soaked fruitcakes filled with bits of pineapple, pecans, or coconut.
Mariachis
Mariachi will often play the recessional after the ceremony, and in some weddings they will play at the end of the reception to indicate that the guests should take farewell shots of tequila before (hopefully walking) home.
Piñata
A paper-mache animal or heart filled with candy and toys is presented at the reception and hung from a string on a tree or beam. Children then take turns being blindfolded and swinging at the piñata with a bat until it breaks, releasing the candy and toys.
Tornaboda
Mexican weddings have the tendency to finish late. So for the early morning hunger and to ease the pain of a hangover the next day, a hearty snack is offered which is usually Tacos, Podzole (traditional Mexican soup) and a dessert.
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