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Many African American women today are incorporating elements of their heritage into wedding ceremonies. What they end up with is not only a celebration rich in tradition and culture, but one that is unique and true to their ethnic roots, as well.

One way they carry on this tradition is with the wedding attire. Woven cloth from Africa is reflective a woman's personal, societal, religious, and political ethnology. Representing liberation are the colors of red (for blood), gold (representing prosperity), and green (for the vegetation of Africa). The design includes a stepped border which symbolizes obstacles faced over the course of a lifetime in an "X" pattern that ends in a "V" representing the unity of ideas. Even if getting married in the traditional white wedding dress, may African American brides today attend their receptions dressed in traditional attire which includes a headpiece, a loose fitting dress or wrapped skirt, a shawl, and a loose blouse all made from the same fabric. The groom is also attired similarly in a hat and long pullover jacket which is worn over slacks and a shirt. For a little added flare you might opt ​​for fabric which is purple trimmed in gold, the colors of royalty. In this case the bridal party would also accent their dress with purple and gold although their basic colors would be complimentary to the color purple.

Many African American customs are unique to the United States based on the experiences of slaves during early colonial times. One of the most popular is "jumping the broom" which became a wedding tradition when slaves were hidden to wed and, therefore, were not considered joined legally in the eyes of the law. When this is part of the wedding, the bride and groom together sweep the floor in a circular motion during a recitation of the orientation of the customs as if sweeping away the past. The broom is then placed on the floor and the couple joins hands and jumps over the broom together in this way jumping into their new life as husband and wife. Whoever was able to jump the highest supposedly became the decision-maker for the household. Making of the broom varies from creating it yourself out of wheat stocks bound together to purchasing one from a craft store. The brooms were often made of adorned with wildflowers, beads, and ribbons and one traditional suggestions that each guest be given a colored ribbon upon which they write well wishes to the couple. After the ceremony, but before the couple leaves the nuptial sight, a designated person brings the broom to the couple after which they perform the rite. Following the ceremony the broom is often hung in the house as a simulated marriage certificate; much like would have been done by couples of other ethnicities who received the paper certificate received after they wed.

One unique feature of the African American wedding today is the inclusion of all sharing gifts and love during the wedding ceremony itself. This is referred to as Yoruba and begins with a spiritual reading about a month before the ceremony itself at which time the couple is given gifts. At the beginning of the ceremony itself, a prayer asking God's blessing along with those of ancestral spirits is often followed by the presentation of a gift by an elder, usually in the form of liquor or water. It is at this point that the groom must publicly ask the bride's mother for the bride's hand in marriage.

At an African American wedding not only do the bride and groom receive gifts, but so do the bride's family members. This is a symbolic gesture on the part of the groom demonstrating he is well-prepared to take care of his new bride during their life together. The bride's father is responsible for accepting the gifts for the family with the expectation that the better the gifts the more secure the father should feel that his daughter will be well taken care of.

For those couples wishing to have a baby right away, the custom of wearing cowrie shells or sewing them to the gown may be for you as they are believed to promote fertility. They were once used as money, but today they are a symbol of beauty and power and are used in purification ceremonies in order to make the couple more fertile.

The ceremony also includes tasting spices and explaining their symbolic meaning. As a way of representing the promise to "love for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health," the couple shares samples representing sour (such as a lemon), bitter (such as bitter chocolate) hotness (such as chili pepper), sweetness (such as sugar), and rich flavors (such as that found in Worcestershire or soy sauce). Although this is a lesser known practice it is rich in tradition and meaning as it represents all the pleasure, tribulations, joys, and sorrows that many times accompaniment couples as they navigate their way through marriage.

For those wishing to conduct a traditional Western wedding, but honor their African American heritage, the options are limitless. There are many ways today to incorporate traditions of both the old and the new in this way ensuring that you have the best of both worlds during your special day.

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Source by Euneeka Farrar