Mexican Wedding Toasts: Cheers, Speeches, and Customs

Who speaks, and when

• The padrinos and madrinas, sponsors who pay for or present parts of the wedding, are honored and one pair, the padrinos de velación, may offer a blessing.
• A parent or the padrinos toast, and a master of ceremonies runs the evening. Friends sometimes give short speeches; long best man speeches are not traditional.
• The whole room calls '¡Vivan los novios!' and answers '¡Vivan!'

How long

Short. A toast is a few sentences and a glass. The reception runs past midnight and the tornaboda, the after-party, may run to breakfast.

What you’ll see

• The lazo: a long rosary or ribbon looped around the couple's shoulders during the ceremony to join them.
• The arras: thirteen gold coins from groom to bride, as in Spain.
• La víbora de la mar: a snaking dance where guests hold hands and run under the couple's arms, who stand on chairs.
• The money dance, el baile del billete, with bills pinned to the couple.
• Mariachi at some point in the night, and the tornaboda, a second gathering the next day with the leftovers.

If you’re the guest from somewhere else

• '¡Vivan los novios!' and the answer '¡Vivan!' Learn both.
• Join la víbora. It is chaotic on purpose.
• Clear the next morning. The tornaboda is a real invitation.

A toast you could give

Short, warm, specific to the couple, and ending on the phrase. Swap in your own names and your own detail; the shape is what matters.

Lucía is the reason every one of us is still friends, because she refuses to let anyone drift. Mateo, you are never getting rid of us now. Salud, y ¡vivan los novios!