Wedding traditions from our Latin American
sisters are similar to American traditions with
long, white wedding gowns worn. However we
celebrate our wedding day, we are all searching
for true love.

Our cover models hail from three countries: Veronica
is from El Salvador, Lorena is from Brazil
and Belinda is from Colombia.


El Salvador

In some places in El Salvador, when a wedding is
celebrated, the wedding starts with out the bride.
The bride and her family wait for seven men to
come to their home in white cars to escort the
bride. Many traditional Salvadoran weddings
follow the Catholic tradition. The reception takes
place in a Catholic church, or cathedral. The
married couple will take communion at their
wedding.

Traditionally in El Salvador, the groom's father
and the groom's family pays for the wedding,
even the bride's wedding dress. Parents play an
important role; they walk the bride through the
street to the wedding place (church).
The wedding couple's godparents are very important
during the wedding, too. The godparents
are responsible for the spiritual growth of
the kids. They have roles throughout the marriage
ceremony. Many wedding parties are very
large as children in the family play a part in the
wedding.


Colombian

In Colombia, Catholic marriage is the preferred
union between a man and a woman. Catholic
marriages are more common between men and
women of superior social and financial status,
rather than the poor because of the heavy cost
involved. In rural areas, a formal marriage is
considered an unnecessary economic burden.
Lower or middle class women have always
had fewer restrictions on dating than those in
the upper class, for lower class women had to
be employed. By contrast, chaperonage during
courtship could be more easily maintained by the
upper class. Those who are well educated simply
wait to be married in the Catholic Church. Girls
try to marry a man of status and influence. Even
though many in the middle class hope for marriages
in the upper class to facilitate higher social
and financial mobility, the upper class usually
marries within its own social class.
Before 1973, Catholic marriages were the only
valid marriage for those of the Catholic denomination.
There has been increasing acceptance of
civil weddings since 1973; however, most families
who can afford an elaborate church wedding
will do so. The Catholic religious wedding denotes
social status, and being wed is considered a
means of social mobility.


Brazilian

Brazil is a country of both immigrants and indigenous
peoples. Its early immigrant population included
African, Italian, and Portuguese peoples,
then later German and Japanese, most living in
nuclear families. The population is predominately
Catholic.

Present Marriage Customs

Brazilian marriages may be civil, religious, or
common law, but the civil marriage is considered
legal by the state.

Though most marriage partners are chosen according
to their social class and background,
during the 1980's higher education began to be
a way to increase mobility for the middle class
and upper class. In addition, Brazilian women,
even from traditionally-oriented families, expect
to make the decision as to whom they wish to
marry.

Rural Marriage Customs

In rural areas, the family tends to be powerful
among the aristocracy. Parents still demand
respect so the young man usually asks the girl's
father for permission to wed. Most Catholic
couples have a large family engagement party.
At this celebration, the groom gives his bride
a gold wedding band, which she places on her
right hand. During the wedding, the bride usually
wears a white gown; and the groom, a formal
suit. The wedding ring is placed on the bride's
left hand. The godmother and godfather of the
bride and groom are in the bridal party, rather
than bridesmaids and groom's attendants.

Sources:
Brazil and Colombian wedding information from: Mordecai,
Carolyn (1999). WEDDINGS: Dating and Love Customs of Cultures
Worldwide Including Royalty. USA: Thompson-Shore, Inc.
El Salvador wedding information: masseyealford.files.wordpress.
com/2008/03/a-traditional-wedding.ppt