Brazilian wedding – Brazilians know how to party, not only at Carnival, but also at birthdays and of course at weddings. A Brazilian wedding is almost a small spectacle that you should not miss. We’ll tell you the typical traditions at a Brazilian wedding, as well as the right dress code.
Are you still wondering why a Brazilian wedding should be different from, say, one in US or Europe? Well, that’s probably because of the attitude of the Brazilians. Nowhere else is the difference between poverty and wealth seen so clearly as in Brazil. Who owns luxury, shows that. The same goes for the weddings. The bigger and more expensive, the better. After all, you marry only once in your life, right?
Brazilian wedding traditions
Chá de Panela, or better known as the bachelorette party, has a high entertainment factor in Brazil. The bride’s eyes are blindfolded and small gifts are handed out to her, which she only has to guess by palpating. If she is wrong, she has to drop off a piece of clothing and have a drink. The whole thing goes so far, until nothing is left. The sash or scarf with the inscription – Good that you marry tomorrow! – covers the last bit of shame on the evening farewell photo.
After the marriage, the newlyweds are thrown on leaving the altar with rice. The whole thing is followed by cutting the wedding cake. Important here, the cake must be cut from bottom to top – that it always goes uphill. A real no-go would be to cut the cake from top to bottom ….
There are many different traditions for a Brazil wedding, of course we introduce you to the most popular wedding traditions in Brazil:
- Today we go eat turkey! In Brazil that means something like “we’re invited to a wedding.” – because turkey is a traditional wedding dinner on Copacabana.
- Friday or Saturday afternoons are popular wedding dates. In Brazil, therefore, most weddings are held on a Friday or Saturday afternoon.
- Another tradition at the Brazilian wedding: The bride is led by her father to the altar. Brazilian weddings are usually very big: Often the guest list reaches more than 200 invited people. Many of the guests also invite themselves, this is normal in Brazil.
- Off to the honeymoon! The wedding couple usually leaves the party earlier to go on the planned honeymoon. In other countries the honeymoon usually starts in a few days after the wedding. In many cases only weeks later.
What does the Brazilian Bride wear?
In Brazil, the bride wears a western white or cream colored dress. Sometimes it looks more opulent, sometimes more romantic, but as a rule it will be more conspicuous. A simple, unspectacular wedding dress is not popular at a Brazilian wedding. The more striking, the better.
What does the groom wear at a Brazilian wedding?
It’s always easier for men than women. The man wears a simple suit on his wedding day. In most cases, it will be a simple black suit, as you know it from any other country.
Brazil wedding: the ceremony
The ceremony at a Brazilian wedding differs only slightly from a European wedding. The bride is brought to the altar, whereupon the pastor begins the speech and gives their blessing to the two. Brazil is a Catholic country, so there are no big differences to Europe. The religious tradition at the Brazilian wedding is very important for the bride.
After the “yes” the bride and the groom can kiss each other, very cliché, as in almost every other country in the world …
Now you know a little bit mire about the Brazil wedding ceremony and traditions and you can start to plan your own wedding. If you ever get the chance to attend a Brazilian wedding, then do not miss it! It is fun and spectacular…
