Have a Memorable Wedding With these 8 Best Mexican Wedding Games

Is your big day approaching and you’re looking for ways to turn your event into a memory worth keeping forever? How about some classic Mexican wedding games?

You see, games add an extra element of fun to any wedding celebration. It also accounts for some good bonding between the host (the couple and their families) and guests. 

Let’s get into it, shall we?

8 Mexican Wedding Games for a Memorable Wedding Party

Discover these other wedding games for the ultimate celebration on your big day:

1. La Vibora de la Mar (The Sea Serpent Game)

This wedding game involves lifting the bride and groom up on chairs while they hold onto a rope. Guests then try to run underneath the couple without getting hit by the rope.

How to Play the Game

  1. The bride and groom stand on chairs facing each other while holding hands.
  2. The guests form a circle around the couple.
  3. One guest, usually a child, is chosen to be the “head” of the sea serpent and stands before the bride and groom.
  4. Another guest, usually a child, is chosen to be the “tail” of the sea serpent and stands behind the groom.
  5. The rest of the guests hold hands and form an arch over the bride and groom.
  6. The music starts, and the head of the sea serpent leads the dance under the arch formed by the guests.
  7. The head of the sea serpent can go over or under any guest’s arms as they make their way around the circle.
  8. Once they reach the end of the circle, they tag the tail of the sea serpent, who then takes over as the head for the next round.

2. El Ramo (The Bouquet Toss)

Similar to the American tradition, the bride throws her bouquet to a group of single women. The woman who catches it is believed to be the next one to get married.

How to Play the Bouquet Toss

  1. Gather all the guests in one area of the reception hall.
  2. The bride should stand in the center of the group of guests.
  3. The groom should blindfold the bride and spin her around three times.
  4. While the bride is spinning, the guests should circle around her.
  5. When the bride stops spinning, she must throw a bouquet over her head and into the crowd of guests.
  6. The guest who catches the bouquet must then take it to the groom.
  7. The groom must remove a garter from his leg and toss it into the crowd of male guests.
  8. The male guest who catches the garter must take it to the bride.
  9. The guest who caught the bouquet and the guest who caught the garter must then dance together.

3. El Muerto (The Dead Man)

This wedding game involves a fake dead man (usually a doll or stuffed animal) placed in the middle of the dance floor. Guests then take turns dancing with the “dead man” until the music stops. The person left holding the “dead man” is out of the game.

How to Play the Dead Man

  1. Choose a player to be the “dead one.” This person should wear a mask or cover their face with makeup to represent the deceased.
  2. Divide the remaining players into two groups: the bride’s and groom’s sides. The bride’s side should wear red ribbons or flowers, while the groom’s side should wear blue.
  3. The game begins with the “dead one” lying in a coffin or table surrounded by candles and flowers. The bride and groom stand on opposite sides of the room, while the guests are scattered throughout.
  4. The game’s goal is for the bride and groom to win the favor of the “dead one” by offering gifts and performing tasks. The guests can also try to win favor by offering gifts or sabotaging their opponents.
  5. The “dead one” will call out requests or challenges to the players, such as singing a song, dancing, reciting a poem, or bringing a specific item to the coffin. The players must complete these tasks to win favor.
  6. The game continues until the “dead one” has chosen a winner. This player is declared the champion of El Muerto.

4. La Víbora de la Mar en Parejas (The Sea Serpent Game in Pairs)

This Mexican wedding game is similar to La Vibora de la Mar. However, it is played in pairs instead of with just the bride and groom.

How to Play the Game

  1. Choose the participants: The game requires at least four people, but it is best played with a larger group of guests. The bride and groom should stand on two chairs facing each other, while the remaining guests form two lines behind each of them.
  2. Start the music: A lively song is played to start the game. “La Víbora de la Mar” is traditionally played, but any upbeat song can be used.
  3. Begin the game: The guests in each line hold hands and attempt to run towards the opposite chair where their partner is standing. The goal is to climb onto the chair and knock off the bride or groom.
  4. Follow the rules: Several rules must be followed during the game. First, guests cannot break their human chain while reaching the chair. Second, they cannot touch or grab onto any part of the bride or groom’s body or clothing. Third, they cannot use any objects or props during the game.
  5. End the game: The game ends when one of the couples falls off their chair or the music stops.

5. El Baile del Sombrero (The Hat Dance)

This is a traditional Mexican dance where guests take turns dancing with a hat while others clap and sing along.

How to Play the Hat Dance

  1. Set up the sombrero: Place a large sombrero in the center of the dance floor. The size of the sombrero should be proportional to the size of the group playing the game.
  2. Choose roles: Select one person to be the bride and another to be the groom. The remaining players are guests.
  3. Begin the dance: The bride and groom stand opposite each other, with the sombrero between them. They hold hands and dance around the sombrero, following a specific pattern of steps.
  4. Guests join in: After a few moments, the guests join the dance, forming a circle around the bride and groom.
  5. Follow instructions: As the music plays, a designated person calls out instructions for everyone. These instructions include “take three steps to the left” or “spin around twice.” Everyone must follow these instructions while continuing to dance around the sombrero.
  6. Pass the hat: At some point during the dance, everyone must stop and pick up the sombrero with their teeth, without using their hands. Then they must pass it on to their neighbor using only their teeth.
  7. Continue dancing: Once everyone has passed the hat, they continue dancing around the sombrero while following more instructions.
  8. End of game: The game ends when everyone has had a chance to pass the hat at least once. The bride and groom finish with a final spin before coming together in an embrace.

6. El Juego de las Copas (The Cup Game)

This Mexican wedding game involves stacking cups in a pyramid shape and then trying to remove them one by one without knocking over the rest of the cups.

How to Play the Cup Game

  1. Arrange 13 cups upside down in a circle on a table. Fill each cup with a small amount of water or alcohol.
  2. The bride and groom sit opposite each other at the table, while the guests gather around them. One guest is chosen to lead the game.
  3. The leader starts by reciting a rhyme in Spanish that explains the game’s rules. Then, they choose a guest to begin the game by selecting one of the cups and drinking its contents.
  4. Each cup represents a different aspect of married life, such as wealth, health, and children. After drinking from the cup, the guest predicts that aspect of the couple’s future based on what they tasted or smelled in the cup.
  5. The game continues clockwise until all cups have been emptied and predictions made.
  6. After all predictions have been made, the leader interprets them for the couple and their guests. Some predictions may be positive, while others may be negative or humorous.

7. El Juego de las Sillas (The Chair Game)

Similar to musical chairs, guests walk around a circle of chairs while music plays. When the music stops, everyone tries to sit down in a chair. The person left standing is out of the game.

How to Play the Chair Game

  1. Set up the chairs: Arrange a circle of chairs facing outward. There should be one less chair than the number of players.
  2. Choose the bride and groom: The bride and groom sit in two of the chairs, with the groom to the bride’s right.
  3. Start the music: Play music and have the guests walk around the circle of chairs.
  4. Stop the music: When the music stops, everyone must find a chair to sit in. The person who does not get a chair is out of the game.
  5. Remove one chair: Remove one chair from the circle after each round.
  6. Continue playing: Keep playing until only two people are left in the game. The winner sits at the head table with the bride and groom.

8. El Juego de los Zapatos (The Shoe Game)

The bride and groom sit back-to-back and take off their shoes. They then swap one of their shoes with the other person’s shoe. The MC then asks a series of questions and the couple holds up the shoe of the person they think best fits the answer.

How to Play the Shoe Game

  1. Set up: The bride and groom sit back to back in chairs in the center of the dance floor. They each remove their shoes and exchange one so that they are holding one of each other’s shoes.
  2. Explanation of roles: The guests then take turns asking questions about the couple. The bride and groom hold up the shoe of the person they believe best fits the question. For example, if the question is “Who is more likely to wake up late?” both the bride and groom would hold up the shoe of the person they think is more likely to be running late.

FAQs

Here are some questions whose answers you may want to know.

Do Mexican Wedding Games Reflect the Culture?

Of course it does. The essence of this game is to keep culture and tradition alive, while having a lot of fun.

Are Mexican Wedding Games Suitable for All Age Groups?

Yes, people of all ages can take part in the wedding fun. However, it’s important to keep things orderly, as you wouldn’t want to ruin your wedding experience and leave with distasteful memories.

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