Groomsmen is padrinos de boda, but I don't know what general charge means.

can you say hombres de boda in place of padrinos? the groom (Mexican) says that they don't use padrinos that way - it's more like a godfather thing

oh, I thougth groomsmen were the "testigos".

can you say hombres de boda in place of padrinos? the groom (Mexican) says that they don't use padrinos that way - it's more like a godfather thing

Well, I have heard padrino used for best man, and I think the plural form can be extended to cover the others. On the other hand, I have heard padrino used to mean the father of the bride. One problem here is that there are cultural differences. In a typical American wedding, there is one best man and several ushers (who help seat the guests), all of whom are collectively referred to as the groomsmen. A wedding in Mexico may, of course, follow different customs.

I don't think "hombres de boda" is clear. It sounds like "men of the wedding." Sure, we might infer the meaning from context, but it is vague.

Here is a thread dealing with the difficulty of this topic.

<http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php't=1159080>

Maybe someone with experience with both American and Mexican weddings can help.

James said:

:

there is one best man and several ushers (who help seat the guests), all of whom are collectively referred to as the groomsmen

In every American wedding I've ever been to, the groomsmen were distinct from the ushers. The best man and the other groomsmen stand up with the groom. The ushers see that everyone is seated appropriately, and dismiss the rows (in a large wedding) in an orderly fashion afterwards.

I think general charge means the "charge" (admonition, mini-sermon) given to the couple in a religious wedding, but we need clarification. My best guess is la exhortación a los novios '''?

Sherri, is this an American wedding'

Ahhhh, Nati's explanation is clear then. In Spanish we say:

La ceremonia nupcial

or simply: La ceremonia

In every American wedding I've ever been to, the groomsmen were distinct from the ushers.

You guys from Missouri!

In all the weddings I've attended, the groomsmen (other than the best man) doubled as ushers, but of course, the duties could be separated. I agree that what makes them groomsmen is standing with the groom during the ceremony.

Obviously, your newly married friends must not have had the political problem of having more friends-wanting-to-be-groomsmen than available groomsmen spots. In Missouri, we assign the extras to be ushers.

And I'm only half kidding . . .

James Santiago said:

In every American wedding I've ever been to, the groomsmen were distinct from the ushers.

You guys from Missouri!

In all the weddings I've attended, the groomsmen (other than the best man) doubled as ushers, but of course, the duties could be separated. I agree that what makes them groomsmen is standing with the groom during the ceremony.

>

Thanks so much everyone for all your help!