More on Traditional Weddings

I consulted my dear cousin Jerry Padilla, writer for The Taos News, about the old ways of a traditional New Mexican wedding, and this was his response. Jerry forgive my paraphrasing:

The sequence:

• an uncle or male relative, of the groom, would deliver a letter asking for her hand,
• after a few days, the family would reply, if they sent a pumpkin, (dar calabaza), the answer was no. If yes, a male relative would take a letter to them inviting them for the Prendorio (kind of like an engagement party).
• the groom would go for the Prendorio on his horse, escorted by her family. His family were already at her house.
• then they would Correr Tres Banas, (publish bans of Marriage) giving the Priest time to find out if they weren't too closely related.
• then the date would be set.
• the wheelbarrow ride would take place.

Check this out!

This is an old custom where the groom had to give the bride (sometime before the wedding, with witnesses from her home town,) a ride in a wheelbarrow, from her house to the church. This was so he could prove he could handle the load of responsibility he was taking on. If he accidently spilled her out of the wheelbarrow, he had to start all over again. The best man would go along to encourage him. Sometimes her dad and brothers would add rocks or extra weight to the wheelbarrow if she was petite.

• then the wedding,
• La Marcha (see my early post),
• then el Baile del Peso (dollar dance),
• then se Robaban la Novia (stealing the bride, again see my earlier post)
• el Trivilin, for which the groom had to pay a ransom (a future dance with tamales, musicians and all financed by him)

After he recovered her, they would sneak away from the dance, la Luna de Miel (honey moon), and then they would settle in for wedded bliss. The whole process could take up to a month before they went on the honeymoon.

Thank you Jerry for explaining this rich tradition, but alas I haven’t changed the minds of Clint and Natalie.

At least that what I think since they sent me a pumpkin!