7 Ways to Incorporate Your Mexican Heritage Into Your Wedding Day
When my husband and I began planning our wedding, we immediately began discussing ways we could incorporate his Mexican heritage in non-traditional ways. And, while interweaving cultures and traditions into ceremonies is a highly complex and personal process, incorporating heritage into receptions can be as easy as bringing in every day items into your reception choices. Below you’ll find a few ideas on how to incorporate your Mexican culture into your reception.
1. A Pinata filled with Dulces
My husband and I knew early on in the planning process that we wanted a piñata at our wedding. We would have loved to have a local Mexican party store make one but, due to time constraints, we ended up buying a wedding-cake-shaped piñata from Oriental Trading Company. We went to our local mercadito and chose some of my husband’s favorite candies from his childhood. Lots of tamarind, cajeta, and spicy mango dulces!
2. Jarrito Cocktails
Jarritos are a fruity, soft-drink brand loved by many. Jarrito translates to “little jug” in English, referring to the tradition of drinking water from clay jugs. There are fourteen flavors of Jarritos, which makes them a great mixer for creating your own signature cocktails at your wedding. Jarrito flavors include grapefruit, tamarind, strawberry, lime, guava,mango, watermelon, and passionfruit. My favorite flavors are strawberry and mango. Jarrito pairs well with vodka, tequila, and even gin.
3. Churros!
Who doesn’t love a churro? A churro is a fried dough treat that is popular in Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and even Brazil and the Philippines. While churros can come in all shapes and sizes, in Mexico and the US they are typically in a stick-like shape. Often covered in cinnamon and sugar, churros can be filled with cajeta or dipped in hot chocolate or coffee. You can often find churros in just about any Mexican bakery in the United States. There’s even churro carts and churro food trucks that you can hire for events.
4. Salsa Bar
Go to your favorite local mercado and stock up on a variety of tortilla chips and salsas. Green salsa, red salsa, and pico de gallo, all varying in spice levels. Consider committing a whole table to this and set an array of chips all along the table. Set salsa bowls with spoons and let guests scoop their favorites onto their plates.
5. Tres Leches Wedding Cake
It’s a tradition in my family to have a Tres Leches cake for every big milestone. We’ve had tres leches from our local panadería for 50th wedding anniversaries, graduations, and–of course–birthdays. One thing I haven’t seen, though, is a tres leches wedding cake!
6. Taco Truck
I debated on including this one because it seems so obvious–but hear me out! Have a different cuisine for dinner BUT have a taco truck arrive toward the end of the night for when your guests get the drinking munchies!
7. Pan Dulce
What’s cuter than baskets filled with pan dulce? This could serve as a wedding-cake alternative or could be served in addition to your cake.
No matter how you choose to honor your culture/cultures, Stardust Weddings is here for the ride! Contact me here if you’re interested in booking me as your wedding planner.
