Wedding Traditions in Madeira – Portugal

Most wedding traditions in Madeira are similar to other countries.

The man makes the wedding proposal to the woman. Sometimes asks permission to her family first.

The bride and the groom choose a Maid of Honour and a Best Man, among their family or close friends.

Most weddings are catholic, celebrated at church. The bride dresses a white dress and the groom black suit. The groom cannot see the bride before she enters the church. The bride enters the church with her father and the pageants carrying the wedding rings. During the wedding ceremony, the Bride and the Groom say the wedding vows and exchange rings, and then the priest blesses the new couple.

The bride offers a bouquet to the Virgin Mary as a symbol of her purity.

When exiting the church friends and relatives throw rice and roses to the newlyweds. Decades ago, the newlyweds would walk with their guests to the reception at the house of the parents of the bride or of the groom.Nowadays the reception is mainly at restaurants, and group goes by car. It can be a small reception for close family or a big one. It depends on the wishes and economic level of the Bride and Groom and their families.

During the reception the new couple goes from table to table to greets their guest and offer a remembrance of the occasion.

The new couple have their "first dance" together, they cut the wedding cake, toast with champagne and the Bride throws her bouquet to the single girls to see who is going to marry next.

The guests offer presents that might be according to a list made by the Bride and Groom, it also can be money for the couple.

One tradition that is typical of Madeira is the Nuptial Bed. One week before the wedding ceremony, close friends and family join together to prepare the bed for the wedding night.

They sew the sheets and blankets to the mattress and put several things to prank the new couple.