One of the great things about a city like Atlanta is the diversity! Our Atlanta wedding photographers get to meet all kinds of folks in their line of work and are always honored to learn about the different cultures and communities in Atlanta. Atlanta Artistic Weddings recently shot a super fun traditional Mexican wedding at the wonderful Naylor Hall and it made me curious to learn more about the culture. This week, I thought i’d walk you through a few of the many interesting Mexican wedding traditions that our photographers have come across.

Photography by the Atlanta Wedding Photographers at AtlantaArtisticWeddings

One custom that makes Mexican weddings unique is the selection of wedding sponsors to be by their side throughout the wedding process. The sponsor is most often the couples padrinos or godparents, but can be a close Aunt, Uncle, or other family member. The sponsors act as witnesses to certain aspects of the wedding ceremony and are there to offer the couple advice as they enter into marriage. They also contribute financially to this special event by paying for items to be used in the ceremony or throwing the couple an engagement party. Another important and older custom that is not followed as closely today is the bride sewing her wedding dress and veil. The bride would complete this task with the help of her family and while sewing, they would embroider symbols of fortune, fertility, and felicity into the fabric. Her outfit may also be completed by a bridal shawl or bolero jacket as is traditional style.

Photography by the Atlanta Wedding Photographers at AtlantaArtisticWeddings

The wedding ceremony itself has many rituals rooted in Catholicism. For example, Arras is a Mexican tradition of the groom gifting his bride 13 coins (representative of Jesus and the 12 apostles) to the bride as a show of commitment and financial trust towards his bride, as well as a promise to protect and support her financially, physically, and mentally. By accepting the gift, the bride swears to trust her partner and take care of him and the family whatever happens. Another common gift the couple receives is a kneeling pillow. This pillow represents the comfort and support the couple will have in their future life together, as well as provides actual comfort when they have to kneel during the ceremony prayers. Finally, a very well-known custom that takes place during the traditional Mexican wedding ceremony is the lazo, or lasso). After the wedding vows, the couple kneel together for a special prayer. The padrinos place a special double looped rosary, in the shape of the numeral eight or infinity symbol, around the couple’s shoulders to symbolize their lifetime commitment to one another. Some couples opt to do a unity candle instead for a similar purpose.

Photography by the Atlanta Wedding Photographers at AtlantaArtisticWeddings

During the reception there are many traditions that you may expect, such as Mexican wedding cookies, a pinata filled with candy that the children will open, and a mariachi band providing lively tunes. However there are plenty fun, vibrant reception traditions that are not as well known. First, there’s a is a popular traditional Mexican wedding dance called the “la vibora de la mar” or the “sea snake dance”. During this dance, the bride and groom stand on chairs or other platforms facing each other and hold hands or a piece of cloth between them to form an arch. The guests will then dance through the arch holding hands and forming a “snake.” accompanied the whole time by lively music. Another hilarious and showy Mexican wedding tradition is a so-called “el muertito”. During the reception, male guests lift the groom over the shoulders of all and then toss him several times into the air. Sometimes, the guests take off his shoes and put money and gifts into them to start the couple out on the right foot in life.

Thanks for checking out this Atlanta wedding photographers blog!  I hope you enjoyed the read and that it inspired you to check out more of the many fascinating wedding traditions from around the world. Make sure you keep coming back to see what the Atlanta wedding photographers at Atlanta Artistic Weddings are up to! If you’d like to contact me go to the contact page and drop me a line at https://www.atlantaartisticweddings.com/contact-atlanta-wedding-photographer. I would love to hear from you!

Thanks again!