Wedding Theme Planning - Ethnic Wedding Traditions
When deciding on a wedding theme, most couples tend to lean
toward the more popular ones: beach, western, butterfly, etc.
However, by turning your attention toward an ethnic theme
wedding is a wonderful way to incorporate your heritage and
personalize your wedding day. Your wedding guests will also
appreciate experiencing some of your wonderful cultural
traditions.
Just as in any traditional wedding theme planning, you need to
look at each aspect of your wedding plans and decide how and
what ethnic traditions you can include. Here are some ideas to
help you along.
Choosing Wedding Colors
In some cases, you can interject certain colors into your color
scheme. For example, those with a Scottish background could use
the colors of their tartans in their table decorations, wedding
flowers and bridal attire. Couples who are planning an Asian
wedding would look at including reds and yellows, perhaps.
Wedding Attire
The bride, groom and attendants should all wear culturaly
traditional bridal attire for the ceremony. The guests will
certainly love this, especially those who don't know much about
your culture.
Wedding Favors
Look about your home for ethnic house decorations that you might
have to provide you with some inspiration. Items such as artwork
could lead to handing out low-cost small framed posters or art
work featuring your native country.
Bookmarks or music CD's from your homeland would also make great
wedding favors.
Ethnic Wedding Decorations
Choose wedding flowers and arrangements that would be popular
for your culture. For example, orchids are widely used in
Hawaiian cultures, while lotus blossoms are popular for Chinese
weddings. Daisies and zinnias are suitable for a Mexican wedding.
Use decorating accents and props strategically placed through
out the reception area that are appropriate to your culture to
help bring the "feel" of the theme to your guests. Fringed table
runners in deep colors would enhance an Arab or East-Indian
theme, while colorfully small-beaded coasters would look lovely
on tables for an American Indian wedding (these could also
double as favors). Small African masks could be used as
decorating accents in a variety of areas for an African-American
wedding.
Additional Theme Ideas
It goes without saying that music from your native country is a
must. Hire a musician for the ceremony to play a traditional
musical instrument. Play some of this type of music during key
parts of your reception (however, don't play it throughout the
whole night... a small sampling is best in this case).
If there are dances that are special to your culture, hire some
dancers to entertain guests during dinner or to start off the
reception.
Plan to have a small part of the ceremony done in your native
tongue (preferably with a translator for those that don't speak
the language so they don't miss anything).
For entertainment, include any interesting or simple games, if
appropriate, during the reception.