Index » Culture » Wedding Tradition
This Mexican wedding custom originated in Spain.
On the wedding day the groom gives his bride the thirteen gold coins that signify his wealth and ability to support her.
Mexican wedding traditions are unique and special in many ways.
In Mexican culture family is very important, which is why most of Mexicans are family oriented and have great respect for their family members.
Since the marriage is regarded as the begging and a birth of a new nucleus family its status in Mexican culture is almost holy.
The role of god parents in traditional Mexican culture is significant. God parents are traditionally chosen by a couple and their role is spiritual guidance and support throughout the good and challenging times of their god children's lives.
God parents have a special role in Mexican wedding. They sponsor the wedding, have a special place by the wedding couple, make a speech and bless the wedding and marriage
For centuries, the Mexican women were getting married in the white and specially decorated Mexican peasant dress also known as the Boho dress, China Poblana, etc.
The design of the authentic Mexican wedding dress is very simple. It has short sleeves, lose fit and beautiful traditional Mexican embroidery.
Of course that is only the basic Mexican wedding dress that was used in the past. Nowadays there are many variations that you can choose from.
For example, your Mexican wedding dress can be somewhere in between the princess-like American wedding gown and the traditional Mexican peasant dress.
It all depends on your wedding budget. If you have money for the custom made wedding dress than you can really make your wedding dress unique, beautiful and Mexican at the same time.
If however, you are looking to rent your wedding dress than you should rent the one that you feel most beautiful and special in; and then you can add certain traditional Mexican accessories that would make your wedding dress Mexican.
When it comes to choosing your Mexican wedding dress there are many options available to you, including the dress which is very similar Western wedding gowns.
However, if you want to have a real traditional Mexican wedding and traditional Mexican wedding dress you should go for the Puebla dress. This dress has loose fit, short sleeves and beautiful and colorful embroidery and even though it is usually white it can be made in any other color.
If you prefer flamenco look for you wedding you can pair a slim wedding dress with bolero jacket.
The groom can wear the graybeard (a Mexican wedding shirt) and lose pants; or a matador jacket and tight trousers.
Mexican beach wedding shirts also known as the guayaberas have very cool design and are very comfortable.
It is no wonder why these shirts are so popular around the world, especially in the Latin America and in the south of the United States.
There are many types of the guayaberas including the ones that are simple in design or elegant, or somewhere in between.
In any event, if you are looking for some great, comfortable and cool men shirts you need to look no more because the Mexican beach wedding shirts are one of the coolest men shirts in the world.
Of course, if you are planning to have a Mexican wedding than the guayabera is a must and the fact that the Mexican traditional wedding shirt is so comfortable, elegant and cool is only a bonus.
During the wedding ceremony the groom gives 13 gold coins, which represent all of his material belongings, to the bride. This symbolizes his unquestionable confidence and trust in her and her acceptance symbolizes her promise to love him and take care of him and his belongings.
These 13 coins that represent Christ and his twelve apostles are also a foundation of the material possessions of the future family.
After exchanging their vows the white ribbon (the lasso) is symbolically put around the necks of the bride and the groom in the shape of an eight.
This Mexican wedding custom symbolizes the unbreakable love and commitment of the married couple. It also makes it clear that their marriage is their sacred union and that others should not meddle. Their marriage is their secret and others can help only when asked to help, otherwise everybody should respect their marriage and its privacy.
After the wedding ceremony is over the ribbon (the lasso) is removed and is given to the bride for safekeeping.
Big part of Mexican wedding traditions is traditional Mexican foods, music and dances.
Traditional Mexican foods include tortillas, beans, rice, chicken, beef and goat based dishes, avocado, papaya, corn and etc. Also, there is always Mexican beer, tequila, sangria and other alcoholic and nonalcoholic traditional Mexican drinks to celebrate the new marriage.
Of course, there is no Mexican wedding without Mexican wedding cake and Mexican wedding cookies, and if you know that the Mexicans ancestors invented chocolate than you can only imagine how sweet and tasteful their cakes and cookies are.
Dancing is a big part of Mexican culture and Mexican wedding as well. In fact, there is a special wedding dance called "the dollar dance" in which the guests take turns to dance with the newly weds and give them money.
Mexican Wedding is a true festivity and a very important event in Mexican culture. However it is also recognized that marriage, no matter how great the wedding was, is a challenge. This is why many Mexican wedding traditions are designed to buildup a support network for the newly weds.
The fact that he is giving all of the thirteen gold coins to his bride (which represents all of his belongings) is the symbol of his unquestionable trust, love and confidence.
By giving all of his belongings to his bride the groom is showing to his bride and everybody else that he trusts her with everything material and non material that he has and that he is whiling to put his life in her hands.
On the other side, by accepting the thirteen gold coins the bride promises to take care of her husband's belongings and to be devoted and trustworthy wife.
The Importance of the Golden Mexican Wedding Tradition "The thirteen gold coins" represent the Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles. This is especially important to the Mexicans because the great majority of the Mexican people are Christians and they are devoted to their religion.
Just before the wedding ceremony the thirteen golden coins are represented to the priest by the groom's relative. The priest then blessed the coins and hands them to the bride who places them into groom's cupped hands at the begging of the wedding ceremony.
Then the groom places the coins on tray and gives them to the safe keeper to hold them until later in the ceremony.
Near the end of the traditional Mexican wedding ceremony the gold coins and the box are given to the priest who places the coins in the box and gives them to the groom.
The groom opens the box and pours the coins into the bride's cupped hands and places the box on the top which represents his unconditional love and unquestionable trust.