Traditional weddings in Spain?

Question

could someone describe a traditional wedding in spain today? Thanks! or sources would be nice.

Answer 1

Well, if it is traditional it´s a religious wedding.

First of all, we have a matron of honor (usually the groom´s mother) and a best man (usually the bride´s father) and we don´t have the bride´s maids.

One of the groom´s brothers (or a male realtive if there´re no brothers) takes the flowers (the bouquet) to the bride´s house a couple of hours before the wedding. When the bride is ready, someone in her family calls the groom´s house and then the groom and his matron of honor leave the house and are driven to the church, where they´ll wait for the bride outside the church.

Once the groom has arrived at the church someone calls the bride´s house and she leaves her house with her best man (her father, as I´ve said). When she gets to the church, the groom opens her the door and gives her a kiss.

The music starts inside the church and then the groom with his mother start walking along the aisle; after them, the bride be walking with her father. The priest will be waiting for them at the altar. Then the wedding starts as if it was a mass; after the sermon, the wedding ceremony itself starts: the bride and the groom stand up and the priest askes them the traditional questions; after the rings, the groom gives the bride 13 coins which are a symbol of the goods or  properties they are going to share, then the bride gives them back to the groom also. Then the mass continues. When it finishes, both the bride and the groom have to sign the "marriage contract", because doing so, you don´t have to go to court for a civil wedding; we have two in one!!. Many people sign as "witnesses", the groom´s relatives and the bride´s relatives too. They go out of the church together and everybody throws them rice to wish them good luck. Then everybody goes to the hotel or restaurant for the wedding reception. The bride doesn´t usually throw her bouquet of flowers as you do.

Hope I´ve helped!! If you want to know anything else, just say so!!

Answer 2

Just some additional information, because basketman's answer was very good.  At the reception, usually quite lavish, the groom cuts his tie into little pieces and people buy them, and to cut the cake they tie the couples wrists together and the two of them cut the cake with a huge knife, after eating the guests are often shouting "que se besen" (kiss each other).  After eating, there is a dance at wherever the reception is and after that many people, including the newlyweds go to a discotec.

At least this is what happened in the Spanish weddings I have gone to.