My first experience with a Mexican wedding

This past weekend I got the priviledge to shoot a wedding, and it just happened to be a Mexican wedding! The wedding was very fast paced, as I just found out that I was the photographer 9 days before the wedding. But the couple, Gaby and Fernando, were very fun to work with and it was a fun wedding.

Some would say that there aren't a lot of differences between Mexican and American weddings. Of course they have a lot of the same things: a church, a bride, a groom, a priest. I mean there isn't much to that. I have never been to a Catholic wedding, so I don't know the differences and similiarites there. But let me just say that I think there are a lot of differences, Mexican weddings are crazy (good crazy)!

After the bride finished getting ready, we headed off to the church. They didn't have a driver, so I quickly switched from photographer to chaufer in a matter of seconds. So I drive to the church with 15 minutes until the wedding. I was worried about getting there early, but apparently that didn't matter. Driving was an adventure in in itself, as there was gigantic flower arrangement on the hood of my car! Driving in Mexico is hard to begin with, but with a gigantic flower arrangement, you are pretty much going on a prayer...

So we get there with negative 2 minutes to go, and I was nervous because I wanted to get set up and prepare and everything. I found that that was actually unnecessary because when we get there there is an entire paparazzi to escort the bride down the aisle! So this paparazzi proceeded to follow the bride even up on stage! I don't know if that's customary, but I just sort of followed the crowd. Just go with the flow. No need to "setup". haha!

But the bride was dressed very beautifully. And the ceremony went wonderfully. Maybe except for the 70 year old woman in the back who kept screaming "AMEN!" "Hallelujah" after everything the priest said. It was quite funny. And there was the dancing kids in the aisle. I figured they were part of the act. And afterwards the reception!

Receptions in Mexico are similiar like that in the states, but on a much grander scale. It was in this very fancy estate and if you didn't have a suit and a tie or a dress (for the ladies), you felt out of place. Waiters and decorations and everything dressed to the nine... I was told that the reception was a small wedding. It is very customary in Mexico to spend a lot on the wedding, even if you don't have the ability to.

And the reception was a party! That is the biggest difference between American and Mexican weddings. Americans dance at a wedding......ha! yeah right! Mexicans at 11:00 the place turned into a club! Everyone, young and old were dancing to Norteñas, Rancheras, Reggaeton, Rap, Oldies, Salsa, Tango, everything! I left at 1:30 (that's AM...) and the party was just getting started! Even the bride and the groom were still there. I was told it was probably going to last until 4am or 5am!

Let me end on one tradition that is definitely different, which I'm glad the US hasn't found out about. During the reception, it is tradition for the Bachelors to do the garder thing--same as in the states. But after that is when it gets crazy. It is tradition for the bachelors to grab the groom and haul him off to the bathroom. They then strip him of all his clothes and leave him there. After they do this cruel deed, they then present the clothes to his new bride, and she has to go rescue the poor humiliated man! It's a good thing that many traditions stay in Mexico... :-D

So many other incredible stories, I wish I could tell them all..

Thus is the story of my first experience with Mexican weddings.