Hispanic-American Wedding Customs
The traditional Hispanic wedding ceremony involves a full Catholic Mass. It is important to note on your invitations that the service will be a Nuptial Mass, so that your guests will not be surprised by the length of the ceremony. One of the most special parts of a an Hispanic marriage are the roles of the madrina and the padrino, who are a married couple that agrees to serve as godparents, mentors, and advisors to the young couple during their engagement and the early years of their marriage. The madrina and padrino are usually a couple who has been important in the life of the bride or groom, and their role is much more than merely ceremonial. They traditionally help to pay for the wedding, as well as offering their spiritual and emotional guidance. The padrino is often the man who walks the bride down the aisle, and the madrino will provide the cushioned kneeler that the bride and groom use during the Nuptial Mass.
Custom is very important in Latin weddings, and it is considered very special for the bride to wear an heirloom bridal gown, veil, or jewelry from her mother or grandmother. The mantilla is the traditional Spanish lace veil that is passed down from one generation to the next, and is popular for brides in Spanish speaking countries in many parts of the world. The gorgeous lace veil is the one piece of Spanish traditional garb that almost every Hispanic-American brides thinks about first. If the bride is not wearing a family gown, some of the most popular choices for the wedding dress are slender styles or gowns with flamenco-inspired ruffled hems. It should be noted that in Spain, brides customarily wore black wedding gowns instead of white ones to symbolize their devotion until death. If a modern bride wanted to wear white, while still paying homage to her heritage, she could choose a white wedding gown with details such as black embroidery and black crystal bridal jewelry.
There are some lovely rituals that are a part of most Hispanic weddings. One is the offering of Las Arras, which is a set of thirteen coins that the groom gives to his bride during the ceremony. The exchange of the coins represent the groom's promise to provide for his family, and the bride's trust in his ability to do so. The coins number thirteen because it symbolizes Christ and the twelve Apostles.
Another Catholic-Hispanic wedding rite is the wrapping of the lazo, which is an extra-long rosary. The lazo is wound around the bride and groom in a figure eight, and demonstrates their union. It is a great honor to be the person asked to wrap the lazo around the couple during the Mass.
Custom is very important in Latin weddings, and it is considered very special for the bride to wear an heirloom bridal gown, veil, or jewelry from her mother or grandmother. The mantilla is the traditional Spanish lace veil that is passed down from one generation to the next, and is popular for brides in Spanish speaking countries in many parts of the world. The gorgeous lace veil is the one piece of Spanish traditional garb that almost every Hispanic-American brides thinks about first. If the bride is not wearing a family gown, some of the most popular choices for the wedding dress are slender styles or gowns with flamenco-inspired ruffled hems. It should be noted that in Spain, brides customarily wore black wedding gowns instead of white ones to symbolize their devotion until death. If a modern bride wanted to wear white, while still paying homage to her heritage, she could choose a white wedding gown with details such as black embroidery and black crystal bridal jewelry.
There are some lovely rituals that are a part of most Hispanic weddings. One is the offering of Las Arras, which is a set of thirteen coins that the groom gives to his bride during the ceremony. The exchange of the coins represent the groom's promise to provide for his family, and the bride's trust in his ability to do so. The coins number thirteen because it symbolizes Christ and the twelve Apostles.
Another Catholic-Hispanic wedding rite is the wrapping of the lazo, which is an extra-long rosary. The lazo is wound around the bride and groom in a figure eight, and demonstrates their union. It is a great honor to be the person asked to wrap the lazo around the couple during the Mass.
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