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By Forever Farrah Published 2026-09-17.
Mexican-American wedding traditions: padrinos, the lazo and arras, a Catholic Mass, the money dance, late-night food and how couples blend them with US customs.
Mexican-American wedding traditions usually include padrinos and madrinas who sponsor parts of the day, the lazo (a cord placed around the couple) and the arras (thirteen coins) during a Catholic ceremony, a money dance, and a long, lively reception with plenty of food. Couples blend these with US customs such as a bridal party, a first dance and a tiered cake. How much you include depends on your families, your parish and where in Mexico your family comes from.
Padrinos and madrinas are sponsors, often couples, who each take responsibility for part of the wedding: the lazo, the arras, the rings, the Bible and rosary, the cake, even the music. The role is an honour and a way for extended family and godparents to take part. In the US, many couples have both padrinos and a bridal party.
Tips for Mexican-American couples:
Many Mexican-American weddings are Catholic Masses. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops announced in 2013 that the blessing and exchange of the arras and the placing of the lazo or veil are approved options in both the Spanish and English matrimony texts used in the United States.
| Custom | What it is | What it's said to mean |
|---|---|---|
| Arras | Thirteen coins blessed and passed between the couple | Trust and providing for the family |
| Lazo | A cord, rosary or garland looped around both shoulders | Two joined for life |
| Veil | A veil draped over the bride's head and groom's shoulders | Unity and protection |
| Bible and rosary | Given by padrinos | Faith at the centre of the marriage |
| Flowers to the Virgin | The bride leaves flowers at an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe | Asking her blessing |
The entry on las arras explains the thirteen coins are commonly linked to Jesus and the twelve apostles. The Diocese of Des Moines' liturgy guidelines describe how these customs fit into a Catholic wedding. Ask your priest where they belong in your parish's order of service.
If one partner isn't Catholic or the ceremony isn't in a church, many couples still include the lazo and arras as unity rituals. Multicultural wedding ceremony ideas and bilingual wedding ceremony ideas cover running a ceremony in Spanish and English.
In the US, marriage licences come from the state or county, so check the rules where you marry. If you're marrying in Mexico, the US Embassy in Mexico explains that only a marriage performed by a civil registry official is legally valid there, so many couples hold both a civil and a church wedding. Why some cultures have multiple wedding ceremonies explains how couples handle two.
Mexican receptions are known for running late with extended family, from children to grandparents, on the dance floor; a Mexico News Daily writer recalled his own wedding party going well past 2 a.m. Customs couples often include:
Mexican wedding food covers menus, and music for a multicultural wedding covers mixing mariachi, cumbia and American pop.
Many couples keep both sides' favourites: a bridal party and padrinos, a first dance and the money dance, a tiered cake and a Mexican wedding cookie table, speeches and a mariachi serenade. A bilingual program and website help both families follow along; multicultural wedding invitation wording has Spanish and English examples.
Mexican-American weddings often have large guest lists, since extended family and godparents are close. Agree on a number early, and read how to build a wedding guest list before anyone starts inviting. Seat grandparents away from the speakers, give padrinos good tables, and keep children near their parents. Forever Farrah can hold the guest list, RSVPs, meal choices and seating chart in one place, and the calculator below estimates how many tables a big family wedding needs.
How many tables do you need for your wedding?
For more on the customs themselves, see Mexican wedding traditions, and share how to explain cultural traditions to wedding guests ideas with whoever writes your program.
Seating a multicultural guest list? See how Matchmaker seats families together automatically.
Sponsors, often married couples or godparents, who each take responsibility for part of the wedding, such as the lazo, arras, rings or cake. It's an honour rather than a formal legal role.
No. Many couples choose a Mass, but others have a shorter church ceremony or a non-religious one and still include the lazo and arras.
The lazo is a cord, rosary or garland placed around the couple's shoulders, usually in a figure of eight. It symbolises the two being joined for life.
Guests take turns dancing briefly with the bride or groom and pin money to their clothes or hand it over. It helps the couple start married life and gives everyone a moment with them.
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