Dominican Republic Marriage, Funeral, New Years and Last Names Traditions

New Years/ Nuevo Año

The traditional Christmas dinner is also served on New Years.

One should clear out the old and start the new year fresh and clean. The house needs to be scrubbed from top to bottom All drawers need to be cleaned out. All this cleaning brings good luck.

Different colors mean different things. Wear the color that brings the wish for the coming year you want to come true. Green/ Verde helps out with the money situation, Red/ Rojo brings a bright future, Yellow/ Amarillo makes work better, White/ Blanco is for good health.

When the clock strikes 12 make sure the doors and windows are open wide so the last years spirit can get out freely and the new one can enter.

At the end of the year you have to throw out your old brooms. Any broom you happen to have in the home needs to be placed in a corner of the house. Remember to leave the new broom outside overnight before bringing it into the house. I'm not sure why, just to be safe you best do it.

Never sweep the house on New Year's Day. You may end up sweeping your luck away with the dirt.

Make sure to have 12 grapes/ uvos per person. For each toll of the clock or each month of the year, you need to eat a grape and make a wish for the coming year.

You may notice that many of the homes get a new coat of paint for the holidays. This is part of the cleaning everything and making way for the new.

You need to burn some incense to purifying the home (this goes way back to the native Taino Indians that liked on the island)

If your a catholic you need to have a priest come and bless the house or at least give it a good dousing of holy water.

Another tradition is to have a child (usually a boy) carry the "arras" or coins on a silver tray. The boy would have 13 coins (they are usually 10 cents coins) that at some point during the ceremony will be passed to the priest. The priest will pass them to the groom and he in turn will pass them to the bride. This exchange signifies that the couple pledges to provide for each other and that material goods are to be shared equally. The whole thing is very symbolic and is quite romantic.

In addition to the flower girl, the ring bearer and the coins bearer, we also have a child that carries a fancy white bible.

The mother of the groom with the groom escorting her enter the church first. The mother of the bride then enters escorted by the father of the groom. The wedding party enters next including the children, usually entering in pairs.

Another Dominican tradition is to have what is called a "ceremonia cantada" meaning that every piece of music was actually sung, instead of being just instrumental.

It used to be that Dominican wedding receptions consisted mostly of cake and champagne, along with light appetizers at best. Today, sit down dinners are the style.

Usually, there's a bachelor party/ despedida de soltero and what you call a bachelorette party/ despedida de soltera. There is also the usual bridal showers.

The vast majority of Dominicans deliver their gifts to the bride’s home before the wedding day. Never take a gift with you to the wedding ceremony or reception.

The church is usually not divided into “bride’s” and “groom’s” sides. So you can sit where you would like.

At the end of the liturgy, a large number of people go to the altar. These are witnesses, and there could be dozens. Asking someone to be a witness is a way of honoring them as a special guest. Many family members and friends will be included.

The newly married couple will be the first to exit the church. Do not try to greet them outside. Instead, proceed directly to the reception.

The bride and her father have the first dance. They are joined by the groom and the bride’s mother. Then the entire wedding party and family enter the dance floor. After this then the guests can start dancing.

Most newlywed couples will stay until the end of their party, which could last til 3 AM or later. They are never the first to leave. So if you want to leave do not hesitate to leave before the bride and groom. Any time after the meal is socially acceptable, although you are likely to miss quite a party.

There is no tradition about the Groom not seeing the Bride before the wedding. This is when most of the wedding party photographs are taken.

Some Marriage Traditions in Dominican Republic

Usually the man proposes. If the couple decides to have a church wedding/reception then the preparations are mostly done by the bride's family. Weddings can be expensive and so some people choose to have smaller gatherings or just marry in civil court.

Many people will marry in a Civil Court of Judges Chamber before the large ceremony so they can have all the legal documents. Then have a church wedding.The couple would marry in civil court or in a judge's chamber the morning of the wedding or even the day before the actual church wedding. Especially if they choose not to marry in a Catholic ceremony.

Bridesmaids and large wedding parties are not the norm here. Having a cute little ring bearer and flower girl is. Many times they dress the same as the bride and groom, in smaller scale.

Having "padrinos and madrinas" (godparents of the wedding) is very traditional. The godparents are usually the mother of the groom and the father of the bride and their role is to serve as witnesses. Along with the couple, the godparents also sign the marriage certificate.

Funeral Traditions

The wake continues until 12 noon the next day, followed by burial at the cemetery. It is the family’s choice to retire at midnight and return the next day around 7 am.

Many families follow on with a series of memorial masses held for nine (9) consecutive days. This is known as los nueves dias, novenario, or la vela. When and where they will be held will be announced. It is not necessary to go to these masses unless you were a close friend of the person or family, especially if you attended the funeral. One is never expected to attend all the masses unless you want to do so. If you were not able to attend the funeral you should go to one of the masses. You might choose to go to the last one that usually will be announced in the press. This marks the end of the mourning period ceremonies.

The nine days of mourning usually consist of three days of grieving (crying and reminiscing). 3 days of silence (thinking and reverence). The last 3 days are for release (accepting and separating).

To "cumplir" is to act in accordance with the standard social procedures. A person will go to a funeral whether or not it is his desire; it is his duty. To "cumplir" is important in this society. It signifies respect and caring.

Many of the poorer people are only laid out for 1 day in the home. This is because of the heat and fast decomposition of the body. Also, the caskets usually have a window for viewing. Maybe this is to keep the smell in and bugs out.

Flowers are not expected.

Only good friends and family are expected at the burial.

Dominicans show much respect for their dead. A funeral is an event that will gather people together, including family members, who may not have seen each other for a number of years. Inside the chapel it is sedated but outside, there will be a lot more liveliness almost reminiscent of a normal social occasion.

Two Last Names / Apellidos.

I'm not very sure about this myself so I decided to write it for myself and others that are confused with this matter.

Hispanic culture uses two last names or apellidos. So lets see if I can get this straight. Felix Billini Duarte (I just made that up). Felix is the first name and sometimes there is a middle name also but this made up person does not have one. Billini would be the first last name of the father (apellido paterno) and Duarte would be the first last name of the mother (apellido materno). The fathers names: the first last name would be the fathers name and the second last name would be the mothers first last name which would also be called the mothers maiden name. Thus Felix mother was Anna Duarte Sanchez and the father was Antony Billini Cabral.

Anna Duarte Sanchez married Antony Billini Cabral. In the old days if Anna wanted to she could add her husbands last name to hers using "de" thus her married name would be Anna Duarte de Billini. But this is not tradition in modern times. Some also put a little hyphen between their last names as Felix Billini-Duarte if they so desire.

So this is why Felix has the name Billini Duarte. Dads first last name/ apellido paterno first. Moms first last name/ apellido materno last.

One more time:

Antony Billini Cabral and Anna Duarte Sanchez get married. Now their names are...

Antony Billini Cabral and Anna Duarte de Billini (or she just keeps her own name). They have a bouncing baby boy..

Felix is born...his name is now Felix Billini Duarte.

And the line continues. Do you understand now? Use the 2 first last names for the kid. The kid drops the 2 last last names. Married. The women doesn't change the last name.

Looking up a name in the phone book ? In the white pages a persons Father's last name is listed first and the Mother's surname is listed next. As usual, the persons first name is listed last.

ABC order? The same as looking up a neam in the phone book. The first last name first, second last name second and their given name is last.Billini Duarte, Felix.

There. Easy is it not?