Quick Answer
What is el lazo in a Mexican wedding?
El lazo (the wedding lasso) is a large rosary, ribbon, or cord looped in a figure-eight around the shoulders of the bride and groom during the ceremony, usually placed by the padrinos de lazo right after the vows, symbolizing their unity and the bond of marriage.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is el lazo in a Mexican wedding?
Also called: wedding lasso, lazo de bodas, wedding cord.
Few images say "Mexican wedding" faster than the lazo — a big loop of rosary beads or ribbon draped over the couple's shoulders in a figure-eight, holding them together for the rest of the ceremony. It is placed by the padrinos de lazo right after the vows, and by the time the priest pronounces them married, bride and groom are literally bound to each other.
How the lazo ritual works
- •The lazo is typically a large rosary — sometimes a figure-eight-shaped ribbon, sash, or cord — long enough to loop around both partners at once.
- •After the couple exchanges vows, the designated padrinos de lazo — a sponsor couple, often married relatives — step forward and drape the lazo in a figure-eight around the bride's and groom's shoulders.
- •The couple remains "tied" together this way for the rest of the Mass or ceremony, and the lazo is removed once it concludes.
Planning notes
- •Confirm who your padrinos de lazo are well before the ceremony — it is a specific, named role, not just "whoever's closest."
- •If your officiant or venue does not provide a lazo, couples commonly buy or have one made — rosary-style and ribbon-style lazos are both acceptable and widely sold for weddings.
- •Brief your photographer on the drape moment specifically; it is one of the most-requested formal shots from Mexican wedding ceremonies.
Send ceremony-day reminders to your wedding party
Weddingkart lets you send a scheduled WhatsApp reminder to padrinos and other ceremony helpers so everyone with a role — like placing the lazo — knows exactly when to step forward.
See WhatsApp announcements →Frequently Asked Questions
Who places the lazo on the couple?
The padrinos de lazo — a sponsor couple selected by the bride and groom, often married relatives or godparents — drape the lazo over the couple's shoulders right after the vows are exchanged.
Is the lazo used in every Mexican wedding?
It is most common in Catholic ceremonies rooted in Mexican tradition, though its use varies by region, family, and how religious the ceremony is — some couples skip it, others treat it as a centerpiece of the ceremony.
What is the lazo usually made of?
Most commonly a large rosary, though ribbon, cord, or a decorative sash version (sometimes used for non-religious ceremonies) are also common.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated