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Mexican Marriage

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The "sacrificing priest." Aine O'Connor
Contents of this annotation:
1. Mexican Marriage
The bride's veil and the groom's mantle are tied together, "signifying the inward tie of the wills." Aine O'Connor
Contents of this annotation:
1. Mexican Marriage
Witnesses and family members also attend. Aine O'Connor
Contents of this annotation:
1. Mexican Marriage
Translation: Marriage of the Mexicans. Aine O'Connor
Contents of this annotation:
1. Mexican Marriage
The temple. Aine O'Connor
Contents of this annotation:
1. Mexican Marriage

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An Indigenous Mexican Wedding Like with the “Canadians,” Bernard and Picart seem to combine several different narratives here, including some of the older Aztec religion as well as those traditions influenced by the Spanish. Bernard also mentions several traditions within “Mexican hieroglyphics,” including the idea that women and men shave their heads before marriage and that a woman is carried on the back of a “she-mediator” to her wedding. Picart does not include either of these traditions in his engraving of the Mexican wedding ceremony. The marriage takes place outside of the temple, and many witnesses attend.

The Priest: Without a priest present, per Bernard, no marriage could be “solemnized” in the Mexican tradition. The priest presides over the marriage contract and performs the various rituals that constitute marriage. According to Bernard, the priest is also responsible for asking “certain precise questions” which ensure the bride and groom are ready for marriage. The author also refers to the presider as the “sacrificing-priest.”
The Veil and Mantle: One of the most significant rituals in a Mexican marriage ceremony, and one included in Picart’s engraving, is the bride’s veil and the groom’s “mantle,” or cloak.. Bernard writes, [the priest] takes up the woman’s veil and the husband’s mantle, and with one of his hands, ties them together at one corner, to signify the inward tie of the wills.” During this time, it is paramount for the bride and groom to be making eye contact for the marriage to be “perfection.” This is an interesting submission for the possible origin of the phrase “tie the knot,” which came into use in the nineteenth century and is usually attributed to Celtic or Roman traditions.
Gallery of Engravings