Hispanic wedding traditions are unique and truly vivid, and they’re often profoundly influenced by Hispanic spirituality, history, and culture. If you or your partner is Hispanic, you’ll be happy to hear that there are a number of special traditions you can incorporate into your wedding to honor your shared heritage. Here are a few Hispanic traditions that you can add to your wedding ceremony or reception. If you're looking to host your wedding and want some guidance in choosing a location, visit Country Club Receptions and our locations page to find the best place to host your wedding today!

Church Ties

Typically, many Hispanic weddings are tied with the Catholic Church in some way. This might mean that a wedding will involve a traditional mass, or that the ceremony will be conducted in a Catholic Church. Traditional Catholic wedding vows are also usually exchanged. Catholicism has had a profound impact on Hispanic culture, and it’s still a very important part of any Hispanic wedding ceremony. In fact, it’s also common for rosary beads to be placed around the necks (usually in a figure eight shape) of the bride and groom to symbolize their union. In Guatemala, it’s common for the bride and groom to be bound to one another by a silver rope too. 

Padrinos

Padrinos and Madrinas (patrons or godparents) play a large role in the wedding as well. The Padrinos may acts as guides for the young couple as the couple navigates the engagement and marriage. Sometimes the Padrinos help pay for a portion of the wedding; other times they only offer guidance and advice. Depending on their relationship with the bride and groom, the Padrinos may also be involved in the ceremony. 

More Options for Your Wedding Day

It’s also common in Hispanic countries for the groom to offer his bride a small collection of gold coins, which serve as a symbol of the groom’s ability to financially support his new family. Lastly, the reception is also a wonderful opportunity for the bride and groom to feature Hispanic traditions. For example, Latin dances, such as the salsa, merengue, flamenco, and samba can all be featured during the reception. Hispanic dishes, such as empañadas or tapas, can also be featured too. Mexican wedding cake, which is a kind of fruit cake mixed with rum, is just one of the many different kinds of traditional Hispanic wedding desserts that can be served during the wedding. Mexican wedding cookies (coated in powdered sugar and nuts) are also popular too.

There are so many different Hispanic wedding traditions to choose from, you honestly can’t go wrong. Whichever tradition you end up choosing to add to your wedding or reception, we’re confident that you’ll end up having a great wedding day!