The Ofrenda

Ofendas are an essential part of Day of the Dead celebrations. Since Day of the Dead is considered to be a celebration of life rather than a sad event, ofrendas traditionally reflect whimsical portrayals of the dead as they were when they were living. The word ofrenda means offering in Spanish. They are also called altares or altars, but they are not for worshiping: the ofrenda is an altar of remembrance. The presence of the ofrenda provides us with an opportunity to celebrate and reflect upon our lives, the people in them, and the meaning and purpose of our own existence.

We have included an ofrenda in our wedding to provide a place for us to honour each other and the people most important to us. We have also included symbols that represent important moments in our lives and the love we feel for each other. We would ask you to think about what symbols you might place on such an altar and bring them with you to the ceremony to add to the ofrenda to help us focus on those things that are important and to wish us luck in moving forward in this new life we are creating together. They need not be complicated: candles to help us see our way in times of darkness, flowers to remind us to live in the beauty of the moment, fruit to symbolise the sweetness of love, bread to nourish us, trinkets that will make us laugh…the choice and meaning is yours.