Portuguese weddings are wonderful, robust celebrations full of food, family and love. Over the last few decades many have come to resemble the modern ceremonies of the United States and Western Europe, yet the older customs are enjoying a quiet revival. Here are 12 traditions you are likely to see at a truly Portuguese wedding, from a moonlit serenade to a shoe passed around for coins and a bowl of soup served as the sun comes up.
And on a celebratory note: for all its deep Catholic roots, Portugal was also one of the first countries in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. Portugal, we salute you.
The romance often begins the night before. In a Portuguese serenata, the groom and his friends gather beneath the bride's window after dark and sing to her by moonlight, sometimes with a guitar, sometimes with the whole street listening in. It is a tender, slightly mischievous overture to the wedding day, and one of the loveliest ways a couple's celebration can start.
While for some of us the thought of having our grandparents tag along on a night out may seem rather odd, in Portugal it is customary for the oldest members of the bride and groom's community to attend the bucks party, where the groom bids farewell to single life and his single friends.
While nearly all brides prepare for a walk down the aisle, in Portugal the bride's journey begins long before the church. Still closely upheld in villages and small communities is the tradition by which the bride walks to the church with her wedding party, closely followed by the wedding guests. You would definitely want to be wearing comfortable shoes.
At the heart of the Catholic ceremony is the arras. The groom presents the bride with 13 coins, blessed by the priest, as a promise to provide for their life together and a vow to share everything they have. Many couples also pause after their vows for the bride to lay her bouquet at the altar, an offering of gratitude to Our Lady. It is a quiet, deeply felt moment in a day that is otherwise joyfully loud.
Long before white became the rule, the traditional bride of northern Portugal wore black. In regions like Viana do Castelo, the noiva à lavradeira dressed in an intricately embroidered black gown layered with row upon row of gold filigree, including the heart-shaped Coração de Viana. The gold was the bride's own, a portable dowry worn with pride. Most Portuguese brides choose white today, but the black-and-gold heritage look is having a quiet revival for couples who want something unmistakably their own.
Yes, you heard correctly. This ancient tradition is still very much alive and involves passing the bride's shoe around during the reception and stuffing it with money. It is done to help the young couple with their honeymoon and to start their new life together, and it is still celebrated and embraced by many young couples today.
There is also, traditionally, a money dance, during which guests pay for the privilege of dancing with the bride. The bride's shoe may also be present on the dance floor as the couple collect their monetary donations.
A Portuguese wedding feast is long and generous, and it does not end at dinner. As the dancing carries the party into the early hours, the couple serves a warm, late-night round of food to keep everyone going, often a comforting bowl of caldo verde, the country's beloved green broth of kale, potato and a little chouriço. There are few warmer images of Portuguese hospitality than soup served to your guests at two in the morning.
Traditionally the first slice of cake is offered to a single friend to bring them luck. Single guests are also encouraged to put a slice of cake under their pillow that night, so that they can dream of their future beloved.
After the ceremony, the celebration spills into the streets. The wedding party drives through town in a noisy, joyful convoy, horns blaring, announcing the good news to anyone within earshot. At the reception the warmth continues as the newlyweds move from table to table, greeting every guest in person and toasting with each one, so that no one leaves without a moment of their attention.
Portuguese custom dictates that if a younger sibling marries before the eldest, the eldest must dance barefoot at the sibling's wedding, otherwise they will not find a partner. Talk about pressure.
Towards the end of the night the bride and groom are expected to quite literally escape from their own wedding, to spend their first night alone together. This is often easier said than done, with guests doing everything in their power to keep them there. The escape becomes a competition of great theatricality and humour, with guests playing pranks that range from hiding the luggage to taking the car away and keeping the couple under the spotlight all night.
How long does a Portuguese wedding last?
A Portuguese wedding reception traditionally begins around 8pm and runs until 3am or 4am. Food is served in abundance all night, finishing with a warming bowl of caldo verde soup in the early hours to keep the dancing going.
What do guests wear to a Portuguese wedding?
Guests dress formally and elegantly. The one rule is to avoid white, which is reserved for the bride, and by older custom black, since black was historically the colour of the traditional bridal gown in northern Portugal.
Who pays for a Portuguese wedding?
Traditionally, outside the wealthiest families, the guests themselves help pay for the celebration. Much of this happens during the reception, through the money dance and the bride's shoe passed around to be filled with cash.
Who walks the bride down the aisle in Portugal?
The father traditionally walks the bride to the groom. In villages, the bride may begin on foot, walking to the church with her wedding party and guests following behind her.
What are the arras in a Portuguese wedding?
The arras are 13 coins the groom presents to the bride during the Catholic ceremony. Blessed by the priest, they symbolise his promise to provide for the family and the couple's vow to share everything they have.
Do Portuguese brides wear black?
Historically, yes. In regions such as Viana do Castelo, the traditional bride wore an intricately embroidered black gown, the noiva à lavradeira, layered with gold filigree jewellery. Most modern Portuguese brides now wear white.
Planning a celebration with heritage at its heart? Explore more of our cultural guides, from Greek wedding traditions to Turkish wedding traditions.
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