Cultural Wedding Ideas That Can Be Used As Your Own

by AJJune 13, 2011 0

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A Traditional Wedding cup is used in most German Weddings

Is there a perfect wedding”? There are countless wedding ideas and  checklists to help guide couples through the process. Checklists can be helpful but it also take away the imaginative part of the process and they normally don’t include the important cultural elements that are important to the couple. Zankyou has the most experienced international team of writers from Brazil all the way to Spain. We are fortunate enough to see such diverse weddings all throughout the globe. We appreciate our differences and we certainly celebrate them.

A Chuppah is used in Jewish weddings. Try using a decorated canopy in your own wedding.

Many couples would love to incorporate the tradition of their families or at least introduce elements of a traditional wedding ceremony or reception from their cultural backgrounds. To include cultural wedding traditions and customs to a wedding is not only a fantastic way to share something personal with the guests but a nice tribute to both families.

A gorgeous Indian wedding Gown via Indianhaadi.com

There are so many great ways to infuse traditions to the ceremony. Small details like food or decorations can inject a bit of culture to the ceremony. From drinks to the entertainment, guests can enjoy and taste a different world and culture other than their own. The bride and groom may come from different cultures and background but its important to highlight the best of both worlds. Its an incredible feeling to share something so personal and intimate with your friends and family. A fun reception mixed in with some cultural education is a winning combination. Guests walk away with a knowledge of who the couple really is.

Here are some wedding customs that you maybe able to incorporate in your own wedding.

1. Ceremonial rites: In Mexico, the couple exchange “arras”, 13 coins, as a demonstration of their commitment to share their possessions. A Jewish wedding is performed under a canopy called a chuppah, symbolizing God’s protection.
2. Entrances: Traditional Korean weddings are held in the bride’s home. The groom travels to the bride’s home in a procession. In Punjabi weddings, the groom arrives to the wedding in a white horse!
3. Use of color: Chinese brides wear red shoes and a red veil. A traditional Hungarian bride wears all very colorful floral motifs. Indian weddings use colorful and jeweled sari’s and fabrics to decorate the reception.
4. Local Decorations: Use exotic flowers to highlight your respective countries, such as the yellow hibiscus in arrangements and orchids leis for a Hawaiian wedding or the protea bouquet for a South African wedding. In Greek Weddings, extra plates are made available to crash into the floor for good luck.
5. Symbolism: A Greek bride carries a lump of sugar with her to ensure that her life is sweet. Irish brides carry a horseshoe for good luck. These symbols can be turned into parting gifts for your guest such as sweets or charms.
6. Entertainment: How about infusing local dance and music styles into your reception? One of our staff attended an Indian-French wedding outside Paris and loved the Indian-style Rass stick dance during the reception. What guests wouldn’t have a blast clanging sticks and waving their arms wildly together?

You can also explore some more ideas from other countries. Tell us about any multi-cultural weddings you attended in the comment section below. And as always, we would love to see pictures (which you can send to info@zankyou.com).