Cultural Weddings

Honoring Tradition and Culture

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African
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Jumping the broom decorated broom with ribbons, flowers
symbolizes new household first to land will rule the home.
Kente cloth in red, gold and green used in invitations, clothing,
dcor or accessories.
Box motif on fabric.
Traditional color purple used.
British
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Announcement of wedding announced three Sundays prior to
wedding.
Couple and wedding party walk together into church.
Held at noon, seated luncheon held after wedding breakfast.
Church bells ring when the enter and exit to ward off evil.
Good luck for chimney sweep to kiss the bride.
Orange blossoms sprinkled in front of bride.
Horseshoe is good luck for bride.
Top layer of cake Christening Cake saved for baptism of first
child.
Chinese
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Use of red for joy and luck.
Consider dates and numbers, advised by fortune tellers and feng
shui experts.
Dowries presented roasted pig, live chicken.
At reception/banquet bride changes into a long red cheongsam
traditional dress with dragon and phoenix images.
Feast on elaborate courses often 8 including sharks fin soup
(controversial) red foods (lobster), noodles, Lotus seeds, steamed
bread.
Chinese symbol hung behind couple.
Tea ceremony honors family.
Envelope of money or gold offered to couple.
French
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Similar to British Bridal party walks in together.
Children stand in front of church with white ribbons that bride
cuts.
Silk wedding canopy held over couple.
Couple toast from a two-handled silver cup coupe de marriage.
Bride drinks first, then groom to seal commitment.
German
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Silver marriage cup shaped like girl in full skirt holding cup over
her head drink from this together to symbolize joining into one.
Polterbend Party the evening before couple is teased and
break plates and china to chase evil spirits away.
Breakfast follows the next day.
After ceremony, couple is roped with ribbons and garlands.
Greek
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In ancient time, brides wore wedding veils of yellow or red.
Bride may carry a lump of sugar or ivy (sweet and endless love).
Best man crowns the bride and groom at ceremony.
Kalamatiano the circle dance done at reception.
Candy-coated almonds served at reception.
Hispanic American
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Bride wears traditional white gown with colored ribbons sewn into her lingerie
and a mantilla white lace veil.
She may carry a fan rather than flowers.
Pearls symbolize bad luck.
Groom wears a black bolero jacked and fitted pants like a matador or casual
white drawstring pants and a Mexican wedding shirt.
White roses are used to decorate the church Mass at 9 P.M.
Godparents sponsor the couple hold a dish with 13 gold coins and the rings
grooms hands coins to bride as a sign of giving her his possessions.
They make 3 bouquets 1 for the Virgin Mary, 1 to toss and 1 to keep.
They also carry a long rosary rope lazo and drape around couple at the
altar.
Mariachi band plays at receptionla vibora dance performed by single women.
Mole and flan are served.
Indian
Use of marigolds and bold colors.
Couple married under the Mandap a four posted canopy
in red, maroon, purple, orange, silver and gold.
Saris are worn in.
Mehndi - decorating the bride with Henna.
Baraat Procession, groom on white horse.
Varmala Ceremony exchange of garlands.
Garland on bride symbolizes her acceptance of the groom.
Mangalsutra black and gold beaded necklace symbolizes
unity.
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Hindu Customs
May require civil and religious ceremony.
Can last all day but often shortened to 90 minutes with festivities lasting
days.
Includes prayers (Mantras) in Sanskrit.
Bride wears sari of gold embroidered red fabric and is adorned with 24-
karat jewelry.
Groom wears white trousers, tunic and ceremonial hat.
Sit under Mandap, exchange flower garlands.
Hands are bound together and sprinkled with holy water.
Father gives bride to groom Flame is lit Rice is offered symbolizing
fertility.
Seven Steps around sacred flame (or encircle 7 times) to symbolize food,
strength, wealth, fortune, children, happy seasons, friendship.
Once married, bride and groom feed each other 5 times with sweet food
and have final prayers and readings.
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Irish
Bride carries a horseshoe.
Chimes remind couple of vows and keep bad
spirits away bell as gift.
Irish Blessing as toast.
Music Celtic, Celili bands, set dancing.
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Scottish
Groom removes his tartan sash at the end of
the ceremony and places it on his bride with
the sash running diagonally across gown.
Music includes jigs, reels, pipers and fiddlers.
Bagpipes announce the entrance of the bride.
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Italian
Bride dons gold only after ceremony.
Groom carries iron in his pocket.
Sposalizio Ceremony officiate by priest or civil authority.
Couples avoid May and August.
Sunday lucky day!
Groom delivers bouquet to bring (she picks the flowers and design).
Church decorated with white ribbon tied to the door.
Guests throw rice or grains.
Reception at restaurant 14 courses, with apertifs and a grand couple
entrance.
Toasting
Breaking of glass
Wedding purse La borsa for bride to hold gifts of money.
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Japanese
Held in a Shinto religious- shrine and private.
San-san kudo Ceremony 3 sips of sake from 3
cups taken 3 times (3 times 3 ceremony).
Tamagushi sacred branch offered.
Oironaoshi bride changes dress.
Favors personalized chopsticks, origami
cranes, candied almonds.
Kohaku manjyu round steamed buns.
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Korean
Grooms gives future mother-in-law a goose symbolizing mating
for life (wooden for modern weddings).
Wedding ceremony Kunbere - takes place at the brides home.
Couple exchange vows, sip special wine from a gourd grown by
the brides mother.
Days later, couple visit grooms family for pye-back ceremony.
Bride gives dates and chestnuts to grooms parents (symbolizing
children) - they offer sake in return.
Parents toss the chestnuts into the brides skirt the more she
catches, the more children they will have.
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Polish
Brides hair braided from one to two by female relatives.
Takes place first at magistrates office, then a church.
Family and friends gather at the brides home and go with the couple to the
church.
They thank their parents and are blessed by them before entering the
church.
Rice or small coins are tossed when they exit.
Reception lasts two days, with after-party at grooms family home.
Bread, salt and wine symbolize hope that they will never be hungry.
Polka band, beet soup, pierogies, tortes and fruit are traditional.
Maid of honor collects money and checks for a dance with the bride.
Oczepiny unveiling ceremony women circle bride while her veil is
removed and tossed to single women.
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Islamic
Bride and Groom go through civil ceremony first.
Takes place in a mosque or at the brides home.
Groom and serbala youngest boy in his family arrive and
receive floral garlands.
Imam conducts ceremony- bride is veiled, grooms sits opposite
side of the room.
Brides father asks bride and two witnesses if she agrees to marry.
Imam reads from the Quran.
Meal is served following this bride and groom still separate
sitting with their families.
After meal bride leaves adorned with jewelry, sits near groom
and lifts veil.
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Sikh
Ceremony of Bliss Anand Karaj.
Civil ceremony in addition to legalize union.
Performed in a gurdwara (temple) in brides home.
Bride wears red trousers/tunic or saari, head-scarf.
Groom wears white brocade suit, scarf, turban or Western attire.
Holy Book, Guru Granth Sahib, is displayed on a platform.
Guests sit on floor around this men to the right of the Holy Book/women to the left.
Flower garlands are placed around necks parents of the bride adorn grooms and his
parents first, bride is presented to groom, they exchange garlands.
Couple stand in front of priest and Holy Book, father of bride hands and end of a sash to
the groom and bride symbolizing giving her away.
Four verses are ready explaining obligations of married life.
Couple walks around the Holy Book four times.
Prayer and hymn follow, they share sweet food, guests place garlands around couples
neck or throw flower petals symbolizing happiness.
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Quaker
No music or set order.
Couple applies for permission months in advance.
Couple pledges lifelong love, but no rings.
Held at a regular Quaker meeting.
Speak their vows.
Sign agreement.
Civil marriage may also be necessary.
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Mormon
Either marriage ceremony (sealing ordinance) or civil
ceremony.
Marriage ceremony is for those of great faith.
Held in temple, married for life and even after death.
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