For those of us in the US, we have an idea of what a typical American “anglo-saxon” wedding looks like. The dress, the cake, the reception, the vows – all pretty typical. The dress is white. The cake is either chocolate or vanilla. The reception has speeches from the bridal part. The vows incorporate 1st Corinthians 13.
But weddings aren’t what they once were. There isn’t a “traditional” wedding, anymore. Even the “traditional” weddings of today are very different than the “traditional” weddings of our parents’ and grandparents’ day. There’s a lot of change happening and much of it is due to the acceptance of different cultures’ traditions and customs. It’s fascinating!
For the next few weeks, I’m going to take a look at some of the beautiful traditions of cultures from around the world. I’ve had the honor of designing weddings all over the globe and for many intercultural marriages here in the US and I want to pass some of that information on to you. Whether you’re marrying into a different culture or you’re attending a wedding hosted by more “traditional” ( 
) family, you’re sure to fit right in!
Asian Traditions
The Dress:
- While in most American cultures, the wedding dress is traditionally white, in Japanese culture, the dresses are made of beautiful colored silk kimonos. Much of the time, these kimonos incorporate purple flowers for purple is the color of love in Japanese tradition.
- In Chinese cultures, the wedding dress is traditionally bright red – the color of luck. The dress is covered with peonies, chrysanthemums, and is embroidered in gold, as this is believed to bring good luck
The Ceremony
- Traditional Japanese ceremonies are typically either Shinto or Buddhist. During a Buddhist ceremony, two strings of beautiful beads are woven together to symbolize the two individuals become one. In a Shinto ceremony, natural spirits are asked to bless the newlyweds.
- During an Indian ceremony, the parents of the bride will use milk and water to wash the feet of the bride and groom to symbolize that they have been purified before starting their new lives as one.
The Reception
- In traditional Indonesian culture, the bride arrives first and then the groom arrives to a bigger fanfare than the bride. Each guest is greeted before the ceremony starts. This is typically a lengthy process as Indonesian weddings are usually very large, many times with over 1,000 in attendance. Some Indonesian weddings are held in spaces with cots so that the children can sleep while their parents party the night away.
- Only immediate family members are invited to a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony. Directly following the ceremony, the bride is expected to serve tea to her in-laws. Once the couple arrives at their reception, they are welcomed and then invited to cut the wedding cake. If the couple chooses to have a more elaborate traditional Chinese reception, then the cake cutting would take place after a 9- or 10-course meal, myriad musical entertainment acts, and at least three outfit changes made by the bride.
In many ways, Asian weddings and receptions differ the most drastically from “traditional” American weddings. I’ve designed a number of weddings for Asian couples and am always impressed with the amount of focus and honor is spent on the family unit and how beautiful each piece of the ceremony is. Plus, they’re a lot of fun!