Mexican · 10 minutes · During ceremony
Las arras
The thirteen coins
The number thirteen has a specific significance. It is most commonly interpreted as representing Jesus and the twelve apostles. Some interpretations relate it to the twelve months of the year plus one for the couple's shared life.
The coins can be:
- Actual coins — traditional or modern currency.
- Symbolic coins — decorative coins made for the wedding, often silver or gold-plated.
- Family heirloom coins — passed down through generations.
Coins are typically carried in a decorative box, a small chest, or on a small tray — often sponsored by the padrinos de arras, the godparent-sponsors assigned this role. Central Mexican ceremonies often use a more elaborate set. Northern, southern, and Mexican-American families vary the container and whether the coins are currency or symbolic. Ask.
The exchange in the ceremony
- The priest calls for the arras. Usually after the exchange of rings.
- The padrinos de arras approach with the coin container.
- The priest blesses the coins. With specific prayers, sometimes sprinkling holy water.
- The groom takes the coins. He holds them and sometimes speaks a specific pledge.
- The groom pours the coins into the bride's cupped hands. She receives them with both hands.
- The bride pours them back into a container — or the groom takes them again, then hands them back.
- The couple returns to their vow position.
The modern reframing
The traditional interpretation is that the groom is the provider, giving his wealth into the bride's care. That framing has become uncomfortable for many modern couples who understand marriage as a partnership of equals.
The modern reframing has the coins pass back and forth between the couple, symbolizing shared financial responsibility and mutual trust. Some couples exchange the coins more than once — from groom to bride, then bride back to groom — to make the mutuality explicit.
Ask the couple how they interpret it.
Photography
Setup
- Position to see hands, coins, and both faces.
- A long lens (85–135mm) for tight coverage.
- A silent shutter.
Key shots
- Detail of the coins in their container.
- The padrinos approaching.
- The priest's blessing hand over the coins.
- The groom taking the coins.
- The groom pouring the coins into the bride's hands — the essential shot.
- The bride's hands cupped, receiving the coins.
- The coins mid-fall, if you can time it.
- The bride's face as she receives them.
- The exchange back, if the couple does a mutual exchange.
Variations by region and Catholic context
Mexican American Catholic weddings
Arras and lazo often appear inside a Roman Rite Mass with padrinos named on the program. USCCB and Latino ministry resources describe how these elements relate to sacramental marriage.
Source: USCCB — Marriage
Regional Mexico and border traditions
Northern Mexican celebrations may shorten coin rituals; Oaxacan or Yucatecan families may add music or dance not listed on the English program. Always follow the madrina/padrino carrying the lazo — they set the walking path.
How families adapt Arras today
Contemporary couples often shorten Arras for venue clocks while keeping the element that matters to elders — usually the blessing, exchange, or visible symbol rather than every optional verse. Destination weddings may move the ritual earlier in the day for heat or light, which changes where shadows fall in your frames. Hybrid ceremonies blend English explanations for guests who do not share the family language; plan extra wide shots when the officiant or elder narrates for the room. Always confirm with the planner whether children or wedding party members participate, because a last-minute addition changes spacing and focus priority for both photographers.
Common questions
Why thirteen coins specifically?
Most commonly explained as Jesus plus the twelve apostles. Other interpretations exist, including the twelve months of the year plus one for the couple's shared life. Ask the family.
Do the coins have monetary value?
Sometimes yes, as real currency. Sometimes no, as symbolic decorative coins. It depends on the family and the tradition being followed.
Are the coins kept as an heirloom?
Yes, usually. Many families keep the arras and pass them to future generations for their weddings.
Can non-religious couples do arras?
Yes. Some couples adapt it as a cultural ritual without the Catholic framework. The coins are exchanged with a secular blessing or a personal statement instead of a priest's prayer.
Field notes from George
I budget more time for Arras than the preset shows — couples pause, cry, or redo a gesture, and those seconds matter for albums. I pre-focus on hands or the ritual object before dialogue starts, then lift to faces when reactions peak.
Tell the second shooter to stay on parent faces during Arras; my keepers are usually split evenly between the couple and the family watching them.
Before Arras begins, confirm with the planner and officiant where photographers may stand, whether flash is permitted, and how long the block is expected to run. Build that answer into the shared timeline so the second shooter knows when to stay on the couple versus roaming for guest reactions. If the venue shifts this moment outdoors, re-check wind, sun direction, and guest sightlines ten minutes prior — couples rarely announce last-minute layout changes over mic.
For album flow, aim for three usable frames: an establishing wide that shows the full ritual space, a mid shot that includes the couple and officiant or elder, and a tight detail that signals the tradition (hands, ritual object, or symbolic movement). Capture each layer before the moment peaks so you are not changing lenses during the emotional apex. Debrief with the second shooter afterward about which angle produced the cleanest sightlines — reuse that setup if the same family hosts a sibling wedding later in the season.
Sources
One shared plan for your next wedding.
Timeline, shot list, family formals, and crew brief — synced in real time with the couple. Built by a wedding photographer with 15+ years of experience.
About this guide, sources, and how to reach the author
Written by
Wedding photographer · 15+ years · Former owner, East Shore Wedding Photography · Co-owner, Elena Kay Photography · Co-founder, Aisle & Time
Last updated:
About this guide
George did not personally photograph las arrasweddings during his career. This page is written from the tradition data modeled inside Aisle & Time, cross-referenced against the community sources listed below. If you're an officiant, community member, or photographer with direct experience and you spot something to correct, tell us.
For how we build every guide on this site, see our editorial methodology.
Sources cited on this page
- Primary: George Stoff's field experience across hundreds of weddings (Central Islip, New York and New York tri-state area, 2008–2025)
- Product: Aisle & Time tradition library (version 2026.09)
- Cross-reference: National Museum of Mexican Art
See the full sources list for every reference we cite across the tradition library.
Corrections
Spot something wrong? Email george@aisleandtime.com or open the support form. Corrections that hold up get made within 48 hours, with a note on this page recording what changed and when.
Disclaimer
Traditions vary by community, family, and officiant. Always confirm the specific practice with your officiant, family, and vendors. This guide reflects common practice as modeled inside the Aisle & Time product — not doctrine, not religious authority, not a substitute for a real conversation with the people leading your ceremony.