Guatemalan Wedding Traditions for Your Big Day

If you've ever been to a Latin American wedding around the world, you know that they are definitely filled with merriment. Guatemalan weddings are no exception. There is a palpable sense of joy and celebration in the air when a couple and their friends and families come together to celebrate their union. One thing that makes the experience so special is the Guatemalan wedding traditions that are sprinkled before and during the big day. Whether you're hosting your nuptials in Guatemala, want to honor your culture on your wedding day, or are attending a Guatemalan wedding as a guest, learn all about Guatemala wedding traditions from Diana Sciarrillo, wedding planner and founder of I Do, Guatemala, a destination wedding planning company.

A Brief History of Guatemalan Wedding Traditions

One of the most special wedding traditions in Guatemala is the use of color. The country of Guatemala is made up of different departments and each has its own distinguishing color of apparel, Sciarrillo says, which is worn and celebrated at a Guatemalan wedding. She adds that this color tradition, among other Guatemalan wedding traditions, dates back to the Mayans and have been intertwined with the Spanish traditions after their colonization of most of Guatemala.

Guatemalan Prewedding Traditions

It all begins with la pedida de mano, which Sciarrillo explains is the engagement done months in advance. Traditionally, the groom and his family present gifts when asking the bride's parents for her hand in marriage. Once accepted, she says, the bride's side of the family (particularly the elderly) offers the groom advice, and only then can he place the ring on his future bride's finger.

However, Sciarrillo says "these things happen in the more traditional parts of the country. City folks will pretty much follow more standard traditions where both the bride and groom decide to get engaged, tell their parents and get together to formalize the event."

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Once the wedding planning is underway, Sciarrillo says in Guatemalan weddings, both the bride's and the groom's families are very much involved in the entire wedding planning process, including the pre-wedding traditions. She shares that rehearsal dinners are not generally done as they are in American weddings, but there are a series of bridal showers that are opened by the groom's mother and closed by the mother of the bride.

"In these showers, most of the smaller things needed to set up a house are given to the couple as gifts," Sciarrillo says. "In the whole process, the bride is to work on getting her ajuar (linens for the house), which she brings into the new home." So, the goal of these showers is to prepare the couple and get the couple's house ready to move into.

Leading up to the wedding day, Sciarrillo says the soon-to-be newlyweds also have their civil ceremony at least two weeks before the religious wedding and wedding reception.

Guatemalan Wedding Attire

In traditional Guatemalan weddings, Sciarrillo emphasizes that the bride doesn't wear a white wedding gown, nor does the groom wear a tuxedo. Instead, the bride wears a colorful corte, which features a wedding Huipil (resembling a blouse), a hand-woven wrapped skirt, and a wedding veil. The groom also wears their own version of a traditional corte. Sciarrillo adds that in less rural areas of Guatemala such as the capital and the bigger cities, most Guatemala brides do wear white wedding dresses as white represents purity.

Guatemalan Wedding Ceremony

Another Guatemalan wedding tradition is for the bride to ask her best friends to be her bridesmaids. "Bridal parties are very often quite large," Sciarrillo says.

As for the processional, she adds that the structure is very similar to how it's done in any traditional wedding. "The bridal processional ends with the flower girl and ring bearer entering before the bride and her father," Sciarrillo says.

During a Guatemalan wedding ceremony, depending on the couple's religious belies, it's also traditional for the soon-to-be-wed couple to be blessed by another couple. "In Evangelical ceremonies, parents usually bless the couple and in Catholic ceremonies, the padrinos are the ones who bless them," Sciarrillo explains.

In Catholic weddings, she adds that most couples will also do a traditional lasso ritual, which involves placing a chord around the couple's heads symbolizing the union of the two. The las arras ritual is also a tradition that involves 13 gold coins that represent prosperity and good luck for the newlyweds.

Guatemalan Reception Traditions

Guatemalan wedding reception traditions begin with a wedding party entrance, followed by the padrinos, and then the children, Sciarrillo says. Music is also a big part of the wedding reception. In particular, Sciarrillo says marimba (a percussion instrument made of wooden bars) music is always traditional at any Guatemalan wedding. The night also includes a father-daughter dance along with the groom dancing with his mother. After the traditional dances, Sciarrillo says it's time for all the guests to hit the floor.

Guatemalan Traditional Wedding Food, Drinks and Desserts

"Guatemalan weddings are long!" Sciarrillo says. "Dancing and eating are the main focuses." For this reason, at Guatemalan weddings food (and alcohol) is plentiful. She notes that serving midnight snacks is customary and they usually include soup or some type of fried goods.

FAQs About Guatemalan Wedding Traditions

How long does a Guatemalan wedding celebration last?

As mentioned earlier, Guatemalan weddings can be on the lengthier side. Sciarrillo says typically they last between eight to 10 hours from the ceremony to the end of the reception.

What is the typical cost of a Guatemalan wedding?

As with any wedding destination, the costs of a Guatemalan wedding can vary greatly depending on the location. "The more rural areas, as they are less prosperous, will likely be much less expensive than city weddings," Sciarrillo says. "These weddings usually take place at home or in a rented garden and the family of the bride usually does the cooking."

City weddings in Guatemala, on the other hand, Sciarrillo says typically have between 200 and 350 guests and cost $80,000 to $100,000.

What are traditional Guatemalan wedding gifts?

Traditionally, Sciarrillo says the couple registers and asks guests to give them items from their registry. However, she adds that it's now becoming more common for guests to gift the couple money for their wedding.

What should a guest wear to a Guatemalan wedding?

"Guatemalan weddings are usually a reason to dress up for," Sciarrillo says. In other words, consider it an occasion to wear your best attire. Sciarrillo notes that the exact dress code will also depend on where the Guatemalan wedding is held. For instance, in rural areas, guests often wear gorgeous, colorful cortes, like the couple, while Guatemalan weddings held in modern areas guests show up dressed in elegant dresses.