(ThyBlackMan.com) Every family has their own traditions, passed down from generation to generation. Some traditions extend beyond your personal family unit to your wider community, others are things that just you and your mom have done since you were a little kid. If you’re lucky enough to have strong ties to your African heritage, then that’s a whole world full of cultural elements and traditions you can include on your big day.
Regardless of what traditions are important to you, if you want your big day to feel like you, and to really bring in that big family love, then it’s critical that you toss out those generic wedding ideas and use this guide instead:
What to Consider When Selecting the Venue
The venue you choose will set the stage for your big day. That’s why you’ll want to choose a wedding venue rental that for one, looks beautiful throughout all seasons (and has the space to accommodate everyone you want to invite) and two, that doesn’t restrict you on which vendors you use, so that you can book specialist vendors that allow you to celebrate your heritage, your way. For the best experience, make sure that the venue you choose only hosts one wedding at a time, so you know that your big day is yours and yours alone.
Ensure You Include Those Essential Cultural Rituals for Your Big Day
Weddings, unlike other events, are the celebration of two different families coming together, sometimes from different communities or cultures. That’s why communication at the start is so important.
Write down all the traditions each of you will want at the wedding (and make sure to get some family input). This could classic things like jumping the broom, tasting the four elements, or the classic “tying the knot”, or it could be heritage specific. If you want to celebrate your Ghanian heritage, for example, you might want to add Opon-akyi bo, the knocking ceremony, as an essential pre-wedding event.
Mixed Heritage? Create a List
If you and your spouse are from different backgrounds, for example, your family has been in the United States for over a hundred years, and your spouse grew up in Zimbabwe, your traditions are going to look different. That’s why it’s important to create a list of all the traditions you want to include, Once you have those lists, you can:
- Identify what’s the same and what’s different.
- Create a timeline that places when all the different traditions and elements will occur.
- Decide which traditions you want to incorporate, blend, or leave out.
Feel free to mix and match as well. You could get married and have your photos taken in the white dress and suit, for example, and then for the reception change into traditional kente attire, or even the other way around!
Don’t Forget the Small Little Traditions, Jokes, and Histories
The little details matter, which is why it’s so important to bring in those little traditions and histories from both sides of your families. Put up photos of your family’s own wedding days as part of the celebration, use that good luck charm your mom gave you, name the tables based on old family jokes or stories. There are so many unique ways you can make the wedding feel homely, and like you, so start brainstorming!
Staff Writer; Terry Barker
