Are you looking for creative ways to add world cultural influences to your wedding day to impress your guests? If so, check out these ideas around the world.
Today, it’s easier more than ever to explore the world in person or virtually. As a result of the increate interest, including various ethnic influences is a unique alternative to traditional American weddings. Couples inspired by these diverse traditions can make their weddings memorable by including cultural elements.
Before deciding to include a ritual in the wedding celebration, be sure to understand the significance of the cultural wedding custom. For example, some wedding customs incorporate religious traditions or beliefs. Suppose you and your spouse-to-be don’t share the same values that the tradition represents. In that case, it’s a good idea to reconsider including it in the ceremony. Think about the options carefully, and keep in mind that some guests may not feel comfortable engaging in particular activities. Certainly, the wedding ceremony is for you and your spouse; however, your guests are a large part of the celebration.
There are many alternatives when considering incorporating diverse cultures into a wedding. Here are a few ideas that might be of interest.
FOOD IS A GOOD WAY TO ADD WORLD CULTURAL INFLUENCES TO A WEDDING
Because food plays such an important role in many cultures, it’s no surprise that the food selection at wedding celebrations has important significance throughout the world.
Fusion cuisine is increasingly popular these days. It’s a fantastic opportunity to create a cutting-edge culinary statement while displaying how pairing two or more cultures can work together masterfully.
If you are unfamiliar with the term fusion cuisine, here is a brief explanation. Food fusion is a cooking technique that combines different culinary traditions, styles, or methods into a single dish by merging the recipes.
Moreover, adding popular ethnic dishes from different cultures is an excellent way to incorporate cultural heritage into wedding festivities. Also, serving multicultural foods allow guests to enjoy many foods that they may not ordinarily experience.
DECOR AND MUSIC ARE AN EASY WAY TO ADD WORLD CULTURAL INFLUENCES TO A WEDDING
Add art pieces, sculptures, and furniture from different cultures to create the desired ambiance or find a venue with artistic features that match the cultural theme objective.
Asking the DJ or band to mix traditional music with songs or genres that are popular in the culture will have wedding guests on the dance floor all night. Having a blended playlist helps provide entertainment that will appeal to a diverse audience.
A reception with African dancers or a drummer is one creative way to give an event an African flair. This, coupled with the bridal party and guests wearing African-inspired apparel, is a clever way to create a feeling of unity.
There is no need to worry about guests being unable to understand the language. Remember, music is a universal language that bridges many cultures. Besides, regardless of the language, who doesn’t love the beat in a song? Let the rhythm become the language translator as the guests dance and swaying to the music.
You can create an eclectic vibe by experiment with mixing different genres like cumbia, bachata, reggaeton, merengue, salsa music, and even a mariachi band with American classics.
WEDDING FAVORS CAN BE THE INSPIRATION FOR CREATING CULTURAL THEMES
Like many other Western wedding traditions, Candy wedding favors can be traced back to the European aristocracy. In the 16th century, couples displayed their wealth by giving guests a Bomboniere (a tiny trinket box composed of crystal, porcelain, and precious stones) filled with candy or sugar cubes. This grand gesture definitely made an impression in those days because sugar was a costly delicacy.
Today, simply adding culturally inspired wedding favors can leave your guests with pleasant memories of the event.
Inspirational wedding favor ideas that infuse cultural pride:
- Personalize chopsticks with the wedding date and newlywed’s names (inspired by Chinese culture).
- Miniature potted bamboo stalks (inspired by Chinese culture).
- Chinese gift boxes filled with fortune cookies or chocolate fortune candy (inspired by Chinese culture).
- Mehndi designed themed cookies (inspired by Indian culture).
- Potli Bag filled with goodies (inspired by Indian culture).
- Miniature jumping broom (inspired African culture).
CULTURAL TRADITIONS SEEN AROUND THE WORLD
AFRICA
One tradition observed during the ceremony involves the couple tasting different foods or spices that represent various times (or cycles) in a marriage. These cycles include sour, bitter, hot, and sweet. Foods and spices such as lemons, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and honey might be some of the elements used to symbolize each cycle.
ARMENIAN
In some Armenian ceremonies, the celebration starts before the wedding even begins. Before the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom, accompanied by their respective family members, prepare for the day in two different locations, typically the bride and groom’s parent’s home. As the family members help the couple prepare for the big day, the excitement and celebration begin. The wedding day tradition continues when the groom and his family go to the bride’s parent’s home, bearing gifts for the bride with lots of fanfare. After presenting gifts to the bride and having the first dance, it’s off to the church to get married.
CHINESE
Following tradition, many Chinese weddings select the wedding date not by happenstance or venue availability but rather by choosing an auspicious wedding date based on the couple’s astrological signs and birthdates.
During the wedding day’s events, it’s not uncommon for the bride to change into three different outfits during the day. First, a traditional Chinese bridal dress is worn for a special tea ceremony, during which time the bride and groom honor and thank their parents for raising them. A traditional white wedding dress is then worn for the exchanging of vows. Finally, the bride will slip into a qipao cocktail-style dress during the second half of the banquet to mingle with guests.
INDIAN
With many cultures in South Asia, no two Indian weddings are the same. However, one thing that is more common than not is that the wedding festivities usually take place over a span of several days.
One ritual commonly performed in Indian culture is using henna to decorate the bride’s hands and feet with intricate patterns on the day before the wedding. This body art is known as mehndi.
It is common for the bride and the bridesmaids wear saris which is a long colorful garment draped across the body. The color red is popularly used during ceremonies as it represents fertility.
There is no denying a common theme in Indian weddings is that it is grand. There are big parties, tons of food, lots of dancing, and countless friends and family.
LATINO
Similar to Indian weddings, Latino wedding cultures vary depending on the area. However, here are a few rituals that are worth consideration.
A common practice in Hispanic ceremonies is wrapping a lasso or ribbon around the couple. This binding gesture symbolizes unity. It is advisable to provide guests with a brief explanation of the significance of some rituals if it is believed that many of the guests are not familiar with this ritual. Either the officiant can speak on its meaning or include a brief explanation in the wedding program handout (if applicable).
In many Latino weddings, the couple is given las arras matrimoniales (or wedding coins) during the ceremony. The gold coins symbolize good luck in the couple’s new life together.
Now that the coins are banked, it’s time for all wedding guests to make it rain green with a money dance. This crowd favorite gets everyone involved. Guests dance with either the bride or groom while they pen money on the newlywed’s garment. It’s a fun way to give them a financial jump start.
FINAL THOUGHTS
These are just a few ideas to add world cultural influences to your wedding celebration. Do you have cultural traditions that you would like to share? We would love to hear about it. Send an email to info@detroitweddingday.com.
