Spanish wedding customs & traditions

Weddings are one of the most important types of celebrations in Spain. Traditional Spanish bodas usually follow the Catholic tradition however today, more and more people are opting for a civil ceremony. A typical custom is to throw rice o rose petals as the couple exits the place where the ceremony has taken place. Typically, Spanish weddings don't have bridesmaids or groomsmen; there's no Best Man or Maid of Honor. What they do have are padrinos, usually the father of the bride and the mother of the groom. The sole function of these traditional figures is to accompany the bride and groom and (usually) sign as witnesses to the marriage. The rings are a symbol of the union of the bride and groom which they give to each other after exchanging vows. The Arras are used in religious weddings. These are 13 coins that are passed between the bride and groom symbolizing the sharing of all their belongings in the marriage.

The Wedding Cake was traditionally cut by the bride and handed out to all the wedding guests. These days the bride and groom cut the cake together with a large knife or a sword as their first task together in their new life. They then give each other a bite of the cake as a symbol of the change in relationship from mother to child, now they feed each other. Until recent years, and even today you still see it at some weddings, men were handed a cigar and women were given a little gift such as a pin to wear, but that custom has changed over the years. Nowadays, the bride and groom tend to give more personal gifts they've picked out themselves, far from the typical cigar or bottle of wine.

After all the nervousness and excitement leading up to the fiesta and the couple's return from the honeymoon -if they left town- the newlyweds present their marriage certificate to the local register office to receive their "Family Book", where their children's birth will be recorded. This document certifies that the couple has married.