Bringing Cultural Traditions into Your Wedding Day
Author: Jamie Quinn
- By Jamie Quinn
If you’re looking to make your wedding feel extra special and true to who you are, bringing in a few cultural traditions is a beautiful way to celebrate where you come from. By adding a few thoughtful touches here and there, you can create a wedding that feels personal, memorable, and full of meaning. Here are some easy ideas to help you mix culture into your day.
Make the Ceremony Yours
Your wedding ceremony is a great place to add a touch of culture. Think about including a blessing, reading, or small ritual that reflects your heritage. For example, some couples include a Scottish handfasting (tying hands together with a ribbon) to show their bond. Or, if you have Indian roots, you could adopt the “seven steps” (Saptapadi) ceremony, where each step represents a promise you make together. Simple, meaningful gestures like these can add depth to the day.
Add Cultural Details to Your Outfit
You don’t have to go all out with a traditional look, but adding a small nod to your heritage can be a sweet touch. Maybe it’s a patterned sash, some embroidery, or a piece of jewellery that ties into your background. Even small details, like a colour that represents good luck or a pattern from your culture, can make your outfit more personal without taking away from the modern style you want.
Bring Culture to the Music and Dancing
Music is one of the best ways to celebrate culture. If you’re Greek, for instance, you could do a traditional Greek dance to get everyone involved. Latin American? Bring in a bit of salsa or merengue to keep things lively. Mix a few traditional songs into the playlist to keep things fresh and fun—it’s a great way to get everyone on the dance floor and celebrating together.
Serve Up a Taste of Tradition
Everyone loves good food, and bringing in a few dishes from your culture is a great way to share your roots with guests. It doesn’t have to be the whole menu, but a few signature dishes or desserts, like baklava for Middle Eastern heritage or pasta for Italian, can add a nice personal touch. Little food cards with descriptions add a fun way for guests to learn about the dishes and their significance.
Incorporate Cultural Symbols in Your Décor
Your décor can be another subtle way to honour your culture. Think about colours, patterns, or symbols that mean something to your heritage. For instance, if you’re Japanese, you could represent your culture with cherry blossoms or paper cranes, whereas Mexican-inspired décor could include bright colours and papel picado (decorative paper banners). Small details like these are easy to add but bring a lot of personality to the day.
Give Guests a Small Cultural Favour
Let your guests take home a little piece of your culture! This could be a bottle of olive oil, a fan, or a small treat that represents your background. Adding a small note explaining the significance can make it extra meaningful and help guests feel even more connected to the celebration.
Photographer: Life Like Film
@lifelikefilmweddings
www.lifelikefilm.com
If you’re looking to make your wedding feel extra special and true to who you are, bringing in a few cultural traditions is a beautiful way to celebrate where you come from. By adding a few thoughtful touches here and there, you can create a wedding that feels personal, memorable, and full of meaning. Here are some easy ideas to help you mix culture into your day.
Make the Ceremony Yours
Your wedding ceremony is a great place to add a touch of culture. Think about including a blessing, reading, or small ritual that reflects your heritage. For example, some couples include a Scottish handfasting (tying hands together with a ribbon) to show their bond. Or, if you have Indian roots, you could adopt the “seven steps” (Saptapadi) ceremony, where each step represents a promise you make together. Simple, meaningful gestures like these can add depth to the day.
Add Cultural Details to Your Outfit
You don’t have to go all out with a traditional look, but adding a small nod to your heritage can be a sweet touch. Maybe it’s a patterned sash, some embroidery, or a piece of jewellery that ties into your background. Even small details, like a colour that represents good luck or a pattern from your culture, can make your outfit more personal without taking away from the modern style you want.
Bring Culture to the Music and Dancing
Music is one of the best ways to celebrate culture. If you’re Greek, for instance, you could do a traditional Greek dance to get everyone involved. Latin American? Bring in a bit of salsa or merengue to keep things lively. Mix a few traditional songs into the playlist to keep things fresh and fun—it’s a great way to get everyone on the dance floor and celebrating together.
Serve Up a Taste of Tradition
Everyone loves good food, and bringing in a few dishes from your culture is a great way to share your roots with guests. It doesn’t have to be the whole menu, but a few signature dishes or desserts, like baklava for Middle Eastern heritage or pasta for Italian, can add a nice personal touch. Little food cards with descriptions add a fun way for guests to learn about the dishes and their significance.
Incorporate Cultural Symbols in Your Décor
Your décor can be another subtle way to honour your culture. Think about colours, patterns, or symbols that mean something to your heritage. For instance, if you’re Japanese, you could represent your culture with cherry blossoms or paper cranes, whereas Mexican-inspired décor could include bright colours and papel picado (decorative paper banners). Small details like these are easy to add but bring a lot of personality to the day.
Give Guests a Small Cultural Favour
Let your guests take home a little piece of your culture! This could be a bottle of olive oil, a fan, or a small treat that represents your background. Adding a small note explaining the significance can make it extra meaningful and help guests feel even more connected to the celebration.
Photographer: Life Like Film
@lifelikefilmweddings
www.lifelikefilm.com
