Wedding Traditions from ATW: Spain

Traveling around the world with all of you has been a thrill! ✨ It’s exciting to learn about other cultures around the world and how they all celebrate love in various ways. Our next stop on the map is, Spain! Spain is a magical place and it is the fourth largest country on the European continent. Madrid is the Capitol but other major cities include Barcelona, Seville and Valencia. Spain has ruled one of the largest empires in history making Spanish the second most spoken language around the world! Traveling to Spain you will see mountains and the oceans. Mount Teide is the highest mountain peak in the country and happens to hold the third largest volcano in the world! As for the surrounding waters, you have the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

Image Source Pinterest

Spain holds strong historic ties to Catholicism and is widely known for its art, architecture, music and cuisine. As many of you know, Tapas originated in Spain. Tapas started as a late-night bar snack and has turned into an international way of eating. Some examples of true Spanish tapas are chorizo, patatas bravado, garlic prawns, tortillas & more! Other well known items within the Spainish cuisine are churros, sangria, paella and manchego cheese to name a few. Now, I don’t know about you but I’m getting hungry!

These mouth watering stuffed churros can be found in Barcelona at a restaurant called “Xurreria” Photo by Plain Chicken Food Blog

Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain Photographer: Geoffrey Morrison

In addition to the cuisine, Spain is widely known for its traditional Flamenco dancing, bullfighting, football, artists like Salvatore Dali and it’s history of conquistadors. Also, the architecture around Spain is so incredible & unique. From doing my research I learned all about the abstract architectural designs in Barcelona and some of the most incredible Muslim influenced architecture in Granada. Here is a fun article to read more details on the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain: Click here ! We truly live in such a beautiful world! With all of that being said, let’s dive into how couples in Spain celebrate weddings!

Photograph by Claudia Arcal Fotographia

A traditional Spanish wedding usually follows Catholic tradition by having the ceremony in a church with a reception to follow. There is normally no bridal party, however the bride and groom will have their godparents by their side as they marry to be there as a witness and to sign the marriage license. If not the godparents, the couples parents will stand by their side as they say “I do”. And as in many other european cultures, the wedding band is worn on the right ring finger and the engagement ring is worn on the left.

During the ceremony, there is commonly a spiritual practice of 13 coins otherwise known as arras or unity coins. They are presented from the groom to the bride in an ornate box and are usually blessed by a priest representing Jesus and his 12 apostles. These coins are also meant to represent the commitment, loyalty along with financial stability that they have now and will continue to have in the future. A traditional Spanish gown usually includes a lace headdress, like a veil, otherwise known as a mantilla. Many times this is something embroidered and passed down from the mother of the bride.

Arras Photograph from Etsy

One interesting fact is that Spanish brides do not change their last name! After the wedding, if the couple has children, the child takes both the mother & father’s last name! The children’s name will remain that way throughout their entire life, even when they get married!! I love that this tradition embraces the heritage and history of both sides of the family tree. Once the ceremony is over it is tradition to throw dried rice or rose petals.

Novia España ✨ Photographer: Rosa Fernandez Leal

Photograph by AHR_Photos

When the reception starts, there is no doubt there will be a lot of dancing all throughout the night!! In old traditions the Bride and Groom were known to cut up pieces of their tie and garter and walk around to each guest to “sell” the fabric pieces and begin their newlywed fund. In more modern days, couples continue this tradition as a fun game! It is likely you will see special pins as a favor for women at a Spanish wedding as well as a cigar station for the men. Towards the end of the evening, when it’s time to cut the cake, this part is one of the most fascinating of all – the Bride & Groom don’t cut the cake with a regular knife- it is tradition to do so with a sword!

Image from Calle Habana

When you picture yourself attending a Spanish wedding, what kind of venue do you envision? I had to dig a little deeper and I stumbled upon some of the most incredible castles around the country that are simply awe-inspiring! Such wonderful sights to see! Spain is definitely a place I’m adding to my travel bucket list. Below are a few of the dreamy venues I found.

The first was Castle Almodóvar, located in the south of Spain in Andalusia. It’s a medieval styled castle perfectly preserved in history. Beautiful views that are simply breathtaking! Next is Palace Meres, located in Northern Spain, Asturias. This venue has an on location chapel to do a religious ceremony and can hold up to 1,000 guests! Once again, a gorgeous venue both indoors & out! And last, I found Castle Sant Marçal not far from Barcelona. This castle was built in the 11th century and has quite an incredible history. It looks like a setting right out of a movie screen. Increíble! ❤️

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All images are from PerfectVenue.es

Thank you again for joining me on another wedding journey around the world. Here’s to our next grand adventure! ✈️