Mexican Wedding Jewelry & Attire

Mexican wedding jewelry includes a jeweled corona. This beautiful bride wears a simple jeweled tiara headband with matching diamond earrings. Simple, elegant, beautiful. Photo by Cesira Alvarado on Unsplash.   Mexican wedding jewelry and attire embrace both Spanish-influenced traditions and modern western influence. The result, a mixture of traditional and contemporary elegance with plenty of Latin flair.  

Mexican Bridal Attire

In Mexico, regional considerations often influence bridal attire. For example, in Chiapas brides wear dresses made from the region's symbolic textiles. Inspired by nature, the fabric crafted here features intricate designs which reflect their respect for nature, important both to the bride and to the community. (source) Meanwhile, in Yucatan, brides wear a huipil. Fashioned from light cotton, this outfit includes a long, straight white skirt paired with a long straight blouse. The white blouse features a square neckline with white-on-white hand-stitched embroidery. (source) In other regions heavily influenced by Spanish culture, brides wear an elaborate flamenco-style dress in white. Traditionally, the bride's family sews her dress by hand, embellishing the fabric with hand-stitched embroidery heavy with symbolism and meaning. Modern brides, however, often choose contemporary western styles. Perhaps the most popular bridal styles involve modern bridal gowns wrought in traditional fabrics with the addition of hand-stitched embroidery.  

Mexican Wedding Jewelry

Most Latina brides wear a corona in their hair. Styles range from the delicately jeweled headband seen in the photo above, all the way to elaborate tiaras decorated with gemstones, crystals, and beads. Many families pass this jeweled headpiece down from one generation to the next. Of course, according to their own preferences, Mexican brides also wear earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. Certainly, diamonds or other white stones prevail, so as not to detract from the bridal gown.  

The Mantilla

Perhaps the most enduring bridal tradition is the mantilla. Fashioned from lacy silk, this beautiful scarf-like veil drapes elegantly over the brides head and face. Sometimes, a high comb holds it aloft above her head. As she proceeds down the aisle, the veil symbolizes her purity as it obscures her features. At some point during the ceremony, her attendant padrina lifts the veil off her face so her groom can gaze full upon her beauty. Many brides add one more feature to their bridal wear. Hidden beneath the dress, a Latina bride often sews a red, blue, and yellow ribbon onto her lingerie. Although tucked away in private, these ribbons radiate with symbolism. Indeed, they represent her heart's deepest prayer for abundance in money, food, and passion.  

The Groom's Attire

Meanwhile, a Mexican groom enjoys several options for this important day. Traditionally, an embroidered white shirt paired with black linen pants proved an elegant choice. Contemporary Latin grooms might choose a suit or a tuxedo in black. However, the most traditional choice dates back 200 years. The guayabera, fashioned from white linen, features at least four vertical panels embroidered in regional designs. This short-sleeved shirt proves the epitome of Latin male splendor. In addition, a groom often wears a black bolero with black cowboy boots. I'm hard-pressed to find a culture that allows its men to dress with as much flair and panache as its brides. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews