There are many amazing ways to honor the latin culture during a wedding ceremony. Incorporating the tradition of a mantilla ceremony is certainly a prominent way to highlight it.
Are you interested in having a mantilla ceremony but not sure how to implement it during your wedding? I reached out to real bride, Isabella, who wanted to carry on her family's Cuban wedding traditions for her own wedding. She shared with me her ceremony timeline. I know you will find it very helpful!
In her family, they have the mothers of the bride and groom drape the mantilla, but any two women of the families could do it! (I have also seen the godmothers or aunts have this role). The traditional ritual in the Catholic mass usually goes as follows (but it's also important to note that different communities celebrate differently and there's no right or wrong way!):
- The Liturgy of the Word (all the readings)
- The Exchange of the Vows
- The Exchange of the Rings
- The Exchange of the Arras Matrimoniales: 13 silver or gold coins will be transferred from the groom's hands into the bride's hands. She will then transfer the coins back into his hands, and the two will pledge that all that belongs to one will belong to the other).
- The Mantilla Ceremony: The couple will then kneel before the altar, and the mothers of the bride and groom will drape the mantilla across the shoulders of the couple. In some traditions, instead of the mantilla, the "padrinos del lazo" will place a large rosary formed in the shape of a figure eight over each of their heads. When the couple uses both the mantilla and the lazo (very traditional), the mantilla will be draped first and the lazo on top of it. Then, the priest will give the couple the nuptial blessing. It is at this point that the couple are officially husband and wife! The couple will remain with the mantilla and/or lazo draped around them through the end of the mass/until they've taken communion.
- The Liturgy of the Eucharist (the communion)
- Finally Blessing and Exit!
In addition to Isabella's mantilla ceremony, I also wanted to share with you her beautiful photos! She chose the Barcelona Rectangular Ceremony Mantilla which also doubled as her VEIL! She requested that a comb be sewn to the mantilla veil so that she can use it as her bridal veil and as the veil for the mantilla ceremony. If you'd like to do something similar for your wedding day, you can leave a message in the comment box during check out or feel free to contact me beforehand.
All of these stunning images were taken by Marquez Fotos.
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About me: In 2010, while shopping for my bridal gown, I quickly realized that bridal stores had a very small selection (or none!) of lace mantilla veils. I ended up getting my veil from Spain and after all the compliments I received on my wedding day about my veil, I knew I had to bring these beautiful, authentic, quality, Spanish-made veils to brides in the US. My husband and I planned the whole business on the plane during our honeymoon! Today, we carry a large selection online of mantilla veils and have been featured in many bridal blogs and magazines. Read more about our story here.
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I bought a many Mantilla in Spain many years ago. All three of my children used it at their wedding. I took up the tradition because my mother in law’s mantilla was left in Cuba and was never to be found again. This was during the Fidel Castro time. Now my husband and I are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary and I would like to incorporate the Mantilla in our renewal of our wedding vows. Should I follow the traditional way or can I incorporate it in another form. I had always hope to use the mantilla on my wedding anniversary which I did not do when I got married 50 years ago.
Goodness this was so lovely to read – I was just wondering if the mantilla ceremony would be appropriate should the couple not be of Latin descent? For instance, my partner and I are both Asians.
I am advising my God daughter about this tradition to incorporate into her wedding next spring, Her name is Elissa Barahona and she is a native of Honduras. She is marrying a wonderful young “gringo” (ha ha) man who is doing his residency in Orthopedics here in New Orleans. Her large family are predominately Spanish speaking, and his family are all American Southerners, and they will be married in the brautiful Chapel of the Academy of the Sacred Heart, her alma mater, so the wedding will combine some traditions of each culture. I read somewhere that the name Barahona comes from a region in Spain and I would like to find a lace from that region to get her this wedding mantilla (shawl) for their ceremony. Perhaps you direct me in this? I also read that the first Barahona to arrive in Honduras was a sailor on a Christoper Columbus voyage. I think that’s a nice connection!
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