Puerto Vallarta Lifestyles Magazine   Order by Amex   Order by Check   Articles   Profiles   Search

Traditional Mexican Weddings By Pere Greenham spring-summer 2001 If you are a frequent visitor to Mexico and have been invited to a traditional wedding here, you probably have wondered about the whats and whys of many of the customs. Because the vast majority of Mexicans are Catholic, most of these traditions are derived from Catholic ceremonies that have been colorfully spiced with superstition. Although weddings that take place in isolated socio-cultural regions still may follow other ancestral traditions, we discuss weddings within the popular modern Mexican social structure. Beginning with preparations for the big event, Mexicans share the superstition that the groom never should see the bride’s dress before the ceremony. It’s bad luck! Furthermore, a Mexican bride should not wear pearls because they represent future teardrops and grief in the marriage. For good luck, the bride’s ensemble should include something old, something used and something received as a gift (similar to something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue). Wearing her mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress is a status symbol for the bride, a sign of respect for family lineage and tradition, manners and form. To ensure food, money and passion in their marriage, the bride sews a yellow, a blue and a red ribbon, respectively, onto her lingerie. Furthermore, tradition holds that the groom always should arrive at the church before the bride and wait for her at the altar. The order of events–first a church ceremony, then a party, followed by a short legal ceremony with a judge, which in modern times usually takes place at the party–always is followed. The election of padrinos (Godparents) is a crucial issue both for the religious ceremony and for the party afterwards. The major padrinos are chosen because of their exemplary marriage and ability to offer advice and guidance that will help with the conflicts that occur in all unions. Padrinos also should be economically stable, since the position implies not only a moral, but also a material involvement in modern Mexican marriages. The padrinos usually provide a substantial gift for the newlyweds, the banquet or music for instance, a responsibility frequently shared with the parents of the bride and groom. Minor godparents also may be needed, depending on the couple’s financial situation. Padrinos de anillos provide the wedding rings, which can be very pricey. Padrinos de arras provide gold coins symbolizing the assurance of economic stability for the new family. Padrinos de lazo (usually a married couple or fiancées) wrap a silken cord around the newlyweds as a symbol of unity, devotion and commitment. They also may need a mariachi padrino, beer padrino, or a honeymoon padrino. As you can see, being chosen as a padrino can be quite expensive. Just as in the States, when the couple leaves the church they are showered with rice to wish them prosperity (although some churches have prohibited this practice due to the extra cleaning it requires). Then it’s time for the party, which usually is held in a garden or ballroom. However, the party does not start until the newlyweds arrive amidst a cascade of applause. After a short speech given by the father of the bride or the padrinos, the orchestra plays a waltz to which the groom and bride dance in preface to the money dance. During the money dance, in descending order of kinship, relatives take turns waltzing with the bride or groom (depending on gender) while pinning money on their clothes. According to some, the money dance is derivedfrom France, but rural Spain also has had a lot of influence on Mexican wedding traditions. Some Mexican weddings include the aguinaldo (“a bonus”), in which the groom’s tie and the bride’s garter (which her husband has removed with his teeth) are cut into tiny bits and auctioned off. After the money dance or aguinaldo, the groom is assaulted with whistles, jeers and insults such as ¡mandilón, mandilón! (henpecked husband) by his male friends, who tie an apron around his waist and give him a broom to hold while he dances around in an emasculating charade. The groom then is picked up and tossed in the air like a pancake. The humiliation does not end there; the poor man finally is taken to the bathroom where he is stripped to the bone. His clothes are given to the bride, who will come to re-dress and rescue her beloved new husband. At this point, attendees are enjoying cocktails and growing hungry, but dinner will not be served until another classic ritual is completed. Unmarried women gather in line around the bride, who is standing on a chair while the groom forms an arch by her veil or the train of her dress. A cheery children’s game tune (“a la víbora, víbora de la mar, por aquí han de pasar…”) marks the pace as the maidens traipse along holding onto each others’ waists. When the music stops, the bride throws her bouquet over her shoulder, and the lucky one who catches it supposedly will be the next joyful bride. Bachelors do the same around the groom, who throws the apron. Whichever man traps it in the air supposedly will be the next hen-pecked husband. The couple then proceeds to sit at the mesa de honor with their padrinos, their parents and, if there is room, the grandparents and little pages. As the ceremony approaches its end, there is a toast to the newlyweds, usually preceded by a brief speech. The five- to seven-layer cake is then ceremoniously cut, frequently with a sword. However, it will not necessarily be given to the guests for dessert (many families display it just for the picture and take it back home, for some incomprehensible reason). This is the last time the bride and groom will be the focus of attention. They start the dancing with a romantic tune, which is immediately followed with some hot salsa or other popular music as everyone joins the fun. Now, the party has really started!

Back | Top of Page | Home | Free Newsletter | Search | Help | Tell a Friend

m3 © Producciones ViVa