Latin American Bridal Magazines

As the Latin American population in America grew in the late 1990’s to the early 2000’s, the market for Latin American magazines grew. These magazines focus on Latin American brides specifically in America and are often bilingual to support all of their possible brides.

RevistaParaNoviasMagazinep0001.jpg

Revista Para Novias / The Bridal Magazine, Vol. 1 No. 1

Revista Para Novias, published by White Lace, Inc. is a dual-language bridal magazine targeting Latina brides who speak Spanish and/or English. Under the direction of editors María Julia Ballarín and Lisa Masciovecchio, the magazine offers a wide range of wedding inspiration and advice, including tips on navigating cultural differences and choosing a wedding cake. This premiere issue also offers an insightful interview with celebrated Venezuelan-born fashion designer Carolina Herrera, who launched her first bridal collection in 1987 (Herrera, n.d.). The magazine contains over 90 pages covering multiple departments, such as Bridal Registry, Beauty, Cooking, and Honeymoons.

LatinaBrideMagazinep0001.jpg

Latina Bride, Vol. 1, No. 1, Winter 1997

In the late 90s, as the number of Spanish-speaking households grew in the United States, dozens of magazines sprung forth aimed towards this audience, including Latina Bride. The magazine focused on traditional and contemporary aspects of weddings, as well as quinceañeras, catering to middle- and upper-class women. It featured both Spanish and English text to appeal to bilingual Latina Americans.

The premier issue was published in the winter of 1997 and featured American singer, Nydia Rojas, on the cover. Rojas rose to fame in the late 90s, releasing her major label debut at age 15. She sang at President Clinton’s second inauguration and appeared on the cover of Billboard magazine. As a popular artist in both English and Spanish speaking households, she was a perfect candidate to don the premier cover of Latina Bride.

Many Latin American weddings were religious and favored modesty, with brides donning lace and long sleeves, but in the 90s, off-shoulder necklines were all the rage. Rojas is dressed in a gown that combines the traditional with the contemporary, sticking with lace and long-sleeves, and adding a modern, off-shoulder twist. Another coverline states, “Quinceañeras: Past, Present and Future,” further emphasizing the blend between traditional and contemporary trends.