It's the last leg of our whirlwind tour around the world!
In this series, we've looked at some of the most unique, romantic, and memorable wedding traditions from cultures all over the Earth. We've learned about blacksmith priests in Scotland, stone tosses in Australia, and crane origami in Japan.
What we've found is that no matter the region, the most universal tradition is the preservation of love, luck, prosperity, and fertility. Let's see if that holds true in South and Central America…
Argentina: All the Single Ladies
Ditch the bouquet toss. In Argentina, you get lucky charms. The wedding cake is made with charms attached to ribbons baked into the layers. One of the charms is a ring. Before cutting the cake at the reception, all the single female guests take turns pulling the ribbons out of the cake. Whoever pulls out the ring is said to marry within the next year.
Colombia: These Shoes Were Made for Weddings
Colombia has two wedding traditions involving shoes. The morning of her wedding, a bride places a coin inside her shoe to represent never having to go without the necessities. And at the reception, all the single guests put one of their shoes beneath the bride's gown. The groom reaches under and pulls out a shoe. The owner of the shoe is said to be the next to marry.
Guatemala: Let the Good Times Ring
In Guatemala, a bell filled with local grains – typically rice – is placed at the door to the church. As the couple enters to begin the wedding ceremony, the mother of the bride breaks the bell to shower the couple with abundance, prosperity, and good luck in the adventure ahead.
Mexico: The Lazos Ceremony
With Mexico, we seem to have come full circle on our world tour. Modern couples still practice a tradition that predates the Spanish conquistadors but that reminds us so much of handfasting back in Scotland. Love really is universal… In a traditional Mexican ceremony, the bride and groom wrap themselves in lazos. Lazos can be made from orange flowers, similar to the Hawaiian lei... rosary beads, or even a simple silk cord. A representative places the lazos over the couple's heads and drapes it across their shoulders, entwining together in a figure eight – a symbol of eternal love and trust.
We hope you enjoyed our whirlwind tour of some of the most unique wedding traditions around the world! It's impossible to get them all, so if there's something we missed, send us an email (muse@vowmuse.com) to let us know!
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Writer Fawn believes in the power of a well-crafted story, the promise of an adventurous future, and the perfection of a Nutella-covered strawberry.
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Cover photo by Frans Hulet on Unsplash
It's the last leg of our whirlwind tour around the world!
What we've found is that no matter the region, the most is the preservation of love, luck, prosperity, and fertility. Let's see if that holds true in South and Central America…