Order of a Mexican Catholic Wedding

[fahyrebe]

My fiance and I are getting married in the Catholic Church in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, next month, and I’m trying to figure out the order of the procession for all to enter the church. It will be a small wedding (40 people). We will have padrinos, a ring bearer, two flower girls, but no bridesmaids and groomsmen. Also, my fiance’s father is deceased, so I’m wondering if his brother would walk his mom down the aisle. Both my parents and my brother will be there. Does anyone know the proper order for the procession?

I’m also trying to figure out the order of the ceremony and all the steps, including the lazzo and giving the bouquet to Mary. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[debbie_h]

My fiance and I are getting married in the Catholic Church in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, next month, and I’m trying to figure out the order of the procession for all to enter the church. It will be a small wedding (40 people). We will have padrinos, a ring bearer, two flower girls, but no bridesmaids and groomsmen. Also, my fiance’s father is deceased, so I’m wondering if his brother would walk his mom down the aisle. Both my parents and my brother will be there. Does anyone know the proper order for the procession?

I’m also trying to figure out the order of the ceremony and all the steps, including the lazzo and giving the bouquet to Mary. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I’m pretty sure (regardless of rite) that all Catholic Churches have a ceremony rehearsal a week or 2 before the actual ceremony. Just speak to your parish priest & I’m sure he will be happy to assist you

 

[pianistclare]

I’m pretty sure (regardless of rite) that all Catholic Churches have a ceremony rehearsal a week or 2 before the actual ceremony. Just speak to your parish priest & I’m sure he will be happy to assist you

The mothers would be seated first, hopefully to their own music.
The Padrinos would probably go next, followed by the children, the boy first, then the little girl. Then you! I’m guessing you want your groom waiting down front.
The Lazzo, the candle, the Bible, the coins, etc, would be after the blessing of the rings and your vows.
The tribute to Our Lady would be post Communion and before the final blessing.
This is the way we do it at our parish. In Mexico, the priest may have his own way of doing things. Just take the time to meet with him in advance and that way the rehearsal goes so much more quickly and with less confusion.
Congratulations!

 

[fahyrebe]

Thanks, Debbie. It’s a destination wedding and I’ve been told that they don’t do rehearsals in Mexico. We won’t have a priest assigned to perform our ceremony until the morning of the wedding. The wedding will be in a small chapel that does not have a regular priest.

 

[bitterhope]

My husband and I, the priest, the flower girl and ring bearer/train carrier? (our oldest son) were the only ones to process in. Everyone was seated in the church, we met the priest at the door, he asked us the three questions all Catholic priests ask at the beginning of the wedding, and then we walked down the aisle together. Our oldest son carried the train of my dress–very traditional in my in laws’ town–and the flower girl walked next to him. After we said our vows, the padrinos presented the arras, placed the lazzo around us and lit the candles. After the Mass was over, our son carried the train of my dress all the way from the church to my in law’s house for the reception and the flower girl walked with him. We didn’t have flowers so I’m not sure about when you would give them to Mary, but I knelt and prayed in front of Señora del Carmen (the patron saint if their town) after the Mass was over while my husband prayed in front if San Jose before we went to his parents house. I guess that is when you would present the flowers? From what I understand the traditions vary slightly from town to town, but the general order is probably similar. Hope this helps some. We married originally in the US at a Bilingual Mass so my family could see us, then married in his parents town about 7 years later for them to see us.

 

[Phemie]

Thanks, Debbie. It’s a destination wedding and I’ve been told that they don’t do rehearsals in Mexico. We won’t have a priest assigned to perform our ceremony until the morning of the wedding. The wedding will be in a small chapel that does not have a regular priest.

You are guaranteed it’s a Catholic destination wedding? It’s arranged through your own parish, with all the paperwork that entails – Pastor’s permission, Bishop’s permission, etc., etc.?

I’ve had a couple in my parish get an unpleasant surprise, a few days before they left for their Dominican Republic destination wedding, when they found out that it wouldn’t be the Catholic ceremony they had been told it would be.

 

[Chatter163]

You are guaranteed it’s a Catholic destination wedding? It’s arranged through your own parish, with all the paperwork that entails – Pastor’s permission, Bishop’s permission, etc., etc.?

I’ve had a couple in my parish get an unpleasant surprise, a few days before they left for their Dominican Republic destination wedding, when they found out that it wouldn’t be the Catholic ceremony they had been told it would be.

Those were my thoughts, as well.

 

[pianistclare]

You are guaranteed it’s a Catholic destination wedding? It’s arranged through your own parish, with all the paperwork that entails – Pastor’s permission, Bishop’s permission, etc., etc.?

I’ve had a couple in my parish get an unpleasant surprise, a few days before they left for their Dominican Republic destination wedding, when they found out that it wouldn’t be the Catholic ceremony they had been told it would be.

A destination wedding?
I’m not sure about Mexico, but not many priests will hire themselves out for this, although I know there are retired priests that chaplain cruise lines.
I would be very wary about this being legit in the eyes of the church. Perhaps you have already asked all the questions. What did the priest who prepared you fro marriage say about it? It’s not really our business, but now I’m curious.
I hope it’s all on the up and up. People in the wedding business don’t really appreciate the importance of a Sacramental marriage to Catholics.

 

[tafan]

There are certainly parishes and priests in Mexico who will facilitate a Catholic destination wedding. The paper work can be difficult, lots of stuff between your diocese and theirs. And I believe they also require you to be civilly married in the US neforehand( since that is the common requirement Mexico).

 

[Phemie]

There are certainly parishes and priests in Mexico who will facilitate a Catholic destination wedding. The paper work can be difficult, lots of stuff between your diocese and theirs. And I believe they also require you to be civilly married in the US neforehand( since that is the common requirement Mexico).

Gee, why not just get married at home and honeymoon in Mexico??

 

[tafan]

Gee, why not just get married at home and honeymoon in Mexico??

Any of the following may apply:
Cheaper ( don’t have to invite everyone)
Beautiful church
A particular shrine
The food at the reception could be great,
Family lives there
Weather is more predictable
Adventure
Immigration issues

Why does it matter as long as its a catholic wedding?

 

[Elizium23]

I really don’t understand destination weddings. Not for Catholics anyway. For rich secularists it might be possible, but for Catholics, matrimony is a sacrament, a public act, a declaration of love which is exchanged in the presence of all the people of the community. Why run so far away from your own communities to do that? A strange priest, a strange church building, to which you will never be back again in your lives? What’s more, you force the whole wedding party and all the guests to travel so far? I was once engaged to a Spanish lady, and my mother would have flat-out refused to attend a wedding in Spain, due to the plane travel and passport logistics. It seems so unnecessarily limiting to flee to a foreign country to do it. It seems like a mere imitation of celebrities who have it all (temporally) and can jet off to Monaco or Florence with all their guests and a few helicopters worth of media coverage. [edited] do it in the place where it really matters, your home.

[edited]

 

[tafan]

I really don’t understand destination weddings. Not for Catholics anyway. For rich secularists it might be possible, but for Catholics, matrimony is a sacrament, a public act, a declaration of love which is exchanged in the presence of all the people of the community. Why run so far away from your own communities to do that? A strange priest, a strange church building, to which you will never be back again in your lives? What’s more, you force the whole wedding party and all the guests to travel so far? I was once engaged to a Spanish lady, and my mother would have flat-out refused to attend a wedding in Spain, due to the plane travel and passport logistics. It seems so unnecessarily limiting to flee to a foreign country to do it. It seems like a mere imitation of celebrities who have it all (temporally) and can jet off to Monaco or Florence with all their guests and a few helicopters worth of media coverage. [edited] do it in the place where it really matters, your home.

[edited]

You are perhaps assuming everyone has a home which really matters. Lots of young couples live in a city far from family, a few friends locally, a giant parish where they know maybe a few folks in the community at best. Simply put, they are two young people who haven’t yet put down very deep roots.
No big deal, no need to think they are trying to emulate dumb celebrities. They just want a few people to have a really great weekend as part of their wedding celebration. .