A wedding should be many things — romantic, fun, and memorable, for starters! Many couples want their wedding to be one their guests will never forget. A great way to make your wedding unforgettable is to incorporate you and your fiance’s heritages in your wedding! Latin America has a variety of different nuptial traditions that can add a unique twist to your own ceremony:
South America:
- Forget tossing the bouquet! In Argentina, the cake determines who will be the next to wed. In this country, cakes are baked with ribbons between each layer, one is attached to a small ring. Before the dessert is served, bridesmaids gather around and pull on a ribbon — whoever gets the ring is said to be the next destined to marry! Incorporating this in a cake would be a delicious way to celebrate your Latin American roots!
- In Brazil, it is customary for the bride’s wedding band to have the grooms name engraved on the inside, and vice versa. This is yet another way to emphasize the bond between two people that the rings bring.
- Pan de Polvo is another yummy way to incorporate your Mexican roots. This shortbread cookie is traditionally baked for wedding celebrations. Exchanging the modern layered cake for a cookie bar with these delicious treats would be a great way to showcase your Mexican background. Or, consider giving them away to guests as a part of your wedding favors. Either way, your guests will love them!
- The El Lazo Cord is another ceremonial ritual from Latin America. Stemming from Guatemala and Mexico, the couple kneels after exchanging wedding vows, and are wrapped together with a cord, rosary, or white ribbon to symbolize their new bond. This tradition would be simple to implement in a modern wedding, and the El Lazo Cord would be a great addition to a wedding shadow box.
With any one of these unique Latin American wedding traditions, your celebration is sure to stand out! Furthermore, adding a personal element to your wedding will only serve to make it that much more emotional and special to you and your favored guests.