New and Interesting Wedding Traditions From Around the World
We live in a multicultural world. As we move father into the future, it seems like the lines that once separated groups and cultures are being blurred. Families are becoming more ethnically and religiously diverse, and many people are marrying into families with entirely different cultures and/or religious than that of their own. For this reason, many modern brides and grooms are embracing the diversity of their new families and friends by incorporating traditions from outside the typical American wedding. Some are even starting completely new traditions of their own. Whether you want to bring in some wedding traditions inspired by other cultures, or if you want to celebrate some traditions that are brand new, there are plenty of ways that you can spice if your wedding.
Planning a Multicultural Wedding
In some cultures, a common wedding tradition involved the breaking of glass. The Jewish faith, for example, is known for its tradition of breaking a glass during the wedding ceremony. Traditionally, the groom stomps on a covered glass, signaling the end of the ceremony. This is a very easy tradition to incorporate into your ceremony, especially if you or your significant other are of the Jewish faith and want to find small ways to add a Jewish touch to an otherwise non-denominational wedding. Italians often break glasses as well. However, in the Italian culture it is said that each broken shard of glass is meant to symbolize how many years of happiness the couple will have. Lastly, a fun tradition for you and your guests alike is the Greek tradition of breaking plates at the reception. If you do decide to break a few plates, it might be advisable to find plaster dishware and avoid glass.
Another way to pay respect to other cultures is to incorporate some differing wardrobe traditions. While most western brides wear white, many eastern brides traditionally wear red on their wedding day. In countries such as China and India, red is seen as a color of luck and purity. If your significant other was raised in an eastern culture, a lovely way to include his family’s traditions on your big day is to wear red. If you do not want to give up your white dress, you can consider wearing red accessories such as shoes, sashes, or jewelry. Another idea is to wear white for your ceremony and change into a red dress for your reception.
New Twists on Old Classics
Not all changes in wedding traditions have to do with paying respects to other cultures. You can also participate in some new modern traditions simply for the joy of shaking things up a bit. One major reason why wedding traditions seem to be changing is due to cost. Weddings are expensive, and there are plenty of fun new ways that you can add some traditional flavor to your wedding while saving money and seeming cutting edge. Instead of spending a huge amount of money on a giant cake, it’s becoming more traditional to serve small cakes at every table or to have a dessert bar for your guests to choose at their taste.
Another fun new tradition for you and your wedding party to participate in is choreographing a dance. Many wedding parties are dancing down the aisles during the ceremony, staging their first dance at the reception, or rehearsing dance routines for the middle of the reception just to have a bit of fun. It’s a great way to have tons of fun before and after the ceremony.
Finding new and interesting wedding traditions from all over the world is now easier than ever before. All you need to do is look around online. You can find plenty of ideas on bridal websites, Google, and Pinterest.
Image Credit: freedigitalphotos.net/photostock