What are some Hispanic wedding traditions?
During the ceremony, thirteen gold coins (representing the groom’s dowry to the bride and his promise to support her) are carried in a box or tray and blessed by the priest, then passed back and forth between the hands of the bride and groom until they rest with the bride. A large rosary or white rope, called a lasso, is wound around the couple’s shoulders in a figure eight during the wedding ceremony, to symbolize their union. Sometimes an heirloom mantilla, a lightweight lace or silk scarf, is used in place of the lasso. Three wedding bouquets are used: One is carried by the bride, one is left at the altar in honor of the Virgin Mary, and the third is tossed at the ceremony. The Dollar dance is a traditional custom in which money is pinned to the bride’s dress by each man who dances with her.
