Over the next few weeks, I want to take a look back at some of my most favorite events that I’ve designed over the past years.  I’ve had the honor of being a part of some amazing events. I have worked with some amazing people. I have seen some beautiful weddings come together. The most exciting part, for me, is seeing a vision – a dream – become a reality. To see what was first in my head and in my imagination come together to create an unforgettable wedding, party, or event.

This is one of my all-time favorite weddings that I got to plan. The beautiful couple had a love for watercolors, so I made sure to incorporate that into the design of the wedding. As purple is the color of royalty, this wedding had such an “upscale” feel; everyone felt like kings and queens. My favorite part of the whole night was the watercolorist that painted the evening’s festivities throughout the night. After the evening was over, her watercolor work of art was a keepsake of this most special night for a most special couple.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments, below!

         

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!

Mexican Traditions

The Dress:

• There’s not many differences between a traditional Mexican wedding dress and an “American” wedding dress. The dress may have some more ruffles at the edge or a longer train, but the most important Mexican tradition is the addition of a Mantilla veil. The veil is chapel length and hangs in one simple layer to create a very elegant look.
• Important note: no pearls! In Mexican traditions, pearls are meant symbolize tears and wearing them to a wedding is thought to bring tears, sadness, and bad luck on a marriage.

The Ceremony

• Thirteen Gold coins. These arras are used to symbolize Christ and his 12 apostles. Because much of the Mexican culture is Catholic, these coins are blessed by the priest and are given to the bride as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence the groom has in her. By accepting these arras, the bride pronounces her unconditional trust and confidence in her groom.
• The Lasso (Lazo): This isn’t just some length of rope that the priest ties the bride and groom together with, it’s traditionally a large rosary or decorated cord that is hung first around the groom’s shoulders and then added to the bride to signify their union and that they would always be together.

The Reception:

• The “money dance”: During the dancing portion of the reception, guests are led to the dance floor and invited to “pay” to dance with the bride or groom, often by pinning the money to the bridal gown or put in the groom’s pockets (or other, more “interesting” places). Guests are encouraged to be generous as the money is given to the couple as a honeymoon gift or for their new household.
• Food: Traditional Mexican food includes spicy chicken, rice, beans, and tortilla dishes whose main ingredients are chicken or beef. Many families have special dishes reserved or large gatherings like weddings and spend days preparing the food.
• Mariachi Band: Need I say more? 😉

I’ve had the pleasure of attending several Mexican weddings and remember them being a true celebration of love and commitment. The receptions are fun, the ceremonies are beautiful, and the tequila is delicious!

Next week: Asian weddings.

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!