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The USA and recently to many other countries have become homes to people from all over the world. These people enrich the cultures with their Old Country customs, traditions and cuisine. Many adhere to the wedding traditions and the customs of their ancestors.
The article encompasses the African American, the Latin, the Catholic and the Jewish wedding rites, customs and traditions.
So, keep reading
African American
Broom – Jumping the Broom
Jumping the broom, is a custom that has its roots in Africa to symbolizes the beginning of making a home together.
It took on a deeper meaning when during the days of slavery in the USA, African American couples were not legally permitted to marry.
As a public announcement and a statement of their love and commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom pronouncing their entrance into matrimony.
They saw the wedding broom not only as the threshold of the Holy Land of Matrimony, but as a means of sweeping away evil from the paths of their lives.
Some used a plain Colonial style broom others wove beautiful flowers, garlands and tied scraps of cloth and white handkerchiefs around the broom handle. The more common and personal the item, the better.
Today, ribbon has replaced the cloth and African-American couples who include this custom in their wedding ceremony use ribbons that coordinate with their wedding colors and silk or satin flowers that match their wedding flowers. When ribbons and artificial flowers are used, the jumping become a a lasting family keepsake.
It is customary to ask a family member or friend to tell the history of this custom. and while they do, the bride and groom together sweep the broom in a circle until the story is finished. They then place the jumping broom on the floor and hold hands and jump over it together.
Cowrie shells
Some African-American brides wear cowrie shell necklaces, and or decorate their attire with cowrie shell because, cowrie shells are believed to encourage fertility. A note of interest: Cowrie shells were once used as money. Today they are used for purification and as a symbol of beauty and power.
Tasting the Four Elements
A less known and less practiced African American wedding tradition, require that the bride and groom taste: lemon as representing the sour, vinegar as representing the bitter, cayenne pepper as representing the hot, and honey as representing the sweet and delicius times of marriage. This ritual dramatizes the “traditional” promise to love “for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.”
Catholic Traditions
Sacrament of Matrimony
A ceremony that consists, of at least three biblical readings, the exchange of vows, the exchange of rings, the Prayer of the Faithful, the nuptial blessing, prayers and appropriate music.
The Sacrament usually takes place during a Nuptial Mass in the morning or early afternoon.
Timing
Weddings are not scheduled for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, or when Mass is read for the general congregation.
Requirements
Candles
The atholic church often (though not always), discourages the having a Unity Candle ceremony. Therefore, if a Unity candle ceremony is desired, it is often suggested to build a ceremony within the rehearsal dinner celebration.
However, The church does not discourage lighting the candles. In fact, a Candlelight blessing has been used in both Catholic and Protestant churches. It is acceptable because of the spiritual context of the blessing. In the Catholic tradition, the candle (flame) is a symbol of Christ, the light of the world and the Scriptures given confirm this concept.
Flowers
Churches permit floral decorations for a wedding with the understanding that the flowers remain in the church. In other words, the flowers may not be transferred from the church to the reception location.
Kneeling – Sitting
When the wedding ceremony takes place during a Nuptial Mass, the bridal party normally kneel, stand or sit during the entire ceremony. A kneeling bench is provided for the bride and groom but the kneling pillows are not. Usually, the bridal party uses the first pews in the congregational seating.
Bridal Party
The Church may prefers both Best Man and Maid of Honor be Catholic. The other attendants who are not Catholic, will be instructed in and expected to follow the required courtesies and reverences.
Personalization
Brides and grooms may personalize their marriage ceremony by choosing particularly appropriate readings from the Scriptures, prayers and hymns and music that have been selected by the church thus may be used.
Latin Customs and Traditions
Arras – Thirteen gold coins
The groom gives the bride thirteen gold coins blessed by the priest. The 13 coins represent the Christ and his 12 apostles. The Arras is given to the bride as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence the groom has in her.
Most often, he presents them in an ornate box, a silver or gold jewelry box, or on a siver or gold gift tray.
Doing so, he also pledges to be a good provider and to support and care for his bride as she becomes his wife.
By accepting thes Arras, the bride pronounces her unconditional trust and confidence in her groom.
These coins become a part of their family heirloom.
Lazo – Lasso
A lazo (lasso), is a large rosary, a ribbon or a decorated cord that is symbolically draped around the neckss or shoulders of the bride and the groom, groom first. It is placed in a horizontal figure eight (infinity) while they are kneeling at the altar, to affirm their union and their commitment to always be together side-by-side. The Lazo is associated with a wedding prayer and takes place during the ceremony, after the bride and groom have exchanged their vows. Optionally, the lazo may be tied around their wrists. The couple wears the lasso throughout the remainder of the service. At the end of the ceremony, the lasso is removed and is given to the Bride as a keepsake.Though not a Latin country, a wedding ceremony in New Zealand features the Infinity Loops (Lasso) placed around the necks of the bride and the groom, to symbolize their never-ending love.
Attire
Brides in many Latin-American countries wear a light blue slip beneath their dresses. The flower girls and ring bearer may be dressed as miniature versions of the bride and groom.
Piniata
Mexican wedding often feature a heart shaped piniata.
Money Dance
Originating from most European countries, as well as some Latin countries, the Money Dance has become so popular across all weddings that a special Purse – Money Bag is one of the items present with the wedding accessories collection. Called in the USA the Dollar Dance, is where male guests “pay” to dance with the bride. Various methods are used by different cultures. In some, the bride carries a Purse and the dancers place monitary bills in it, in others the dancers pin the bills on the wedding gown, yet in others, the maid of honor wears an apron and collects the money given by the guests to dance with the bride. In all traditions, the guests are expected to be generous when “paying” for a dance with the bride. since the money collected is to be used by the newly weds on their honeymoon and for setting a household.
The money dance is so widely accepted as an integral part of a wedding, that most guests anticipate that it will be included in the celebration providing a way for brides and grooms to generate cash without requesting or even suggesting money as wedding gifts.
NOTE: We at A-wedding Day have received many inquiries regarding the proper way to ask wedding guests to give money instead of gifts. The answer to ALL was the same. There is NO proper way. It is tacky if and in bad taste. DO NOT do it!!!
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