Traditions and Themes

We are having traditional food of my culture. a lot of people in my culture will change outfits into the cultural attire - so maybe that's also something you can consider doing?

In honor of my husband's Puerto Rican heritage, we had Puerto Rican coffee at our wedding and a full bar that had both dark rum and spiced rum. I also chose a mantilla style veil, in part to recognize that my husband's maternal family are catholic.

Aww, I love all these things. I think cultural elements and the blending of two cultures is one of the most fun and interesting parts of a wedding!

Our main one was during the ceremony. We wanted to have a quaich - which is a two-handled drinking vessel that was used in Scotland to celebrate treaties and unions. My (now passed) grandparents were Scottish, and my now-husband also has some family links there so we thought it would be a nice nod to them. In ancient times, a great deal of trust was shown in two chiefs sharing a drink from the same vessel. In modern times, it is more about the symbology in the act. The idea is that, just as the sweetness and the bitterness of the whisky is shared, so too will your your joys in life be doubled and your difficulties halved, because all of them are shared with this other person. We didn't take it super seriously, we just decided that it would be a fun thing to do as our first act as husband and wife, and also meant we got the first drink of the day!

We also did a ring warming, where our immediate family each held our rings in their box before we exchanged them, and infused them with good wishes and love for us. It feels really nice to know that his grandmother has held my ring and wished good things for us, that our parents have done that - because once they have passed, we will still carry those wishes with us, if that makes sense?

View Quoted Comment That’s actually really interesting and I think it’d be fun to have traditional clothing. The attire would be so colorful!

View Quoted Comment Puerto Rican coffee is so delicious!! I’m sure my family would loooove to see coffee with pan dulce at the wedding

View Quoted Comment That makes perfect sense! In our culture, family is everything. The ring warming is such a beautiful tradition!

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Omg how good. I LOVE coffee and would love to go to a wedding with that, haha!

Also, thank you! The ring warming was very meaningful and sweet.

We are doing the dollar dance at ours. We are going rustic style for ours and instead of cake we are doing pie and cupcakes for cake eaters hahaha and also incorporating a s’mores bar

View Quoted Comment Oh! My family lived in a Cuban neighborhood and their tradition also included a money dance! Which, honestly, that’s genius because it’s free money!
I’m not a fan of cake (except tres leches, which is delicious!) So we’re also thinking about having dessert alternatives 💕

I’m not a traditional person to be honest. I like to create my own traditions. We are having a quick ceremony and then reception right after. No religions just two energies connecting

View Quoted Comment No religions for me here either. Also I love that you’re making your own traditions. That makes it all the more special and unique 💕

I am also from Central America, Belize!!! Whoop Whoop!

Unfortunately our venue will not allow any outside food and there's no way I trust them to make our cultural foods. Initially, I wanted to incorporate a traditional performance with dancers and drummers/live music to introduce my culture to our American guests, but we are so pressed for time and the extra expense wasn't a part of our budget. Instead, I plan on doing little things like adding a small Belize flag to the centerpieces or tables, and still deciding on where to incorporate the full size flag.

As far as his side, I don't think we have anything except for the money dance which I experienced at his cousin's wedding and the Alpha train...his fraternity. Now that I am excited to seeeeeeeee! He's doing a first dance with his mom, I opted out on doing one with my dad just because he doesn't dance lol but maybe I'll actually ask him before I say no. Oh, and since we will have no children in our wedding (besides our 1 year old who will be the ring bearer) we will have a Flower Guy (Best Man).

We did the Grand March to kick off the dancing. It’s a Czech tradition and a whole lot of fun. It’s one of the few traditions I kept, we didn’t do the bouquet/garter toss or cake cutting.

View Quoted Comment The Grand March? That sounds super fun! I am also not sure if we’re going to toss the garter either but tbd.

View Quoted Comment Aww congrats on your wedding! I also wouldn’t trust anyone else to cook our cultural foods.
I’ve grown up around Cubans and I’ve heard about the money dance. That seems like it would be an amazing tradition and free money!

View Quoted Comment It’s hard to explain, but it’s a big follow the leader dance. This article describes the tradition. The meaning behind each section is pretty neat.


https://texashighways.com/travel-news/it-wouldnt-be-wedding-season-in-texas-without-the-grand-march/

We are going to have a catered wedding we are not sure on the food yet but I am Puerto Rican and he is Irish we had made a compromise that we are going to have a jack and Jill and on the jack and Jill we are serving Puerto Rican style food and On the wedding day we are serving steak fish potatoes some thing around there we are also having a open bar for everyone to enjoy and have a good time. Can’t wait to say “I Do” to this amazing man that God put in my path. I feel so blessed

View Quoted Comment That sounds amazing!!!!
I am so happy that you are feeling so blessed to have found your partner.
It is such a beautiful feeling!

We are doing not to see each other until the wedding day when I walk down the aisle. The groomens will walk in together with the groom with a his own song bridesmaids will too. Then me the Bride, Cocktail hour while we are taking some pictures. Reception will start around 6:30pm Then it will be couple cake cutting first dance and we putting the father daughter dance my FH and our daughter for them its would be special. He took daughter to her prom when she was in high school. The speeches from wedding party and a few family and friends the bouquets toss. Then let's Party then off we Go!!

View Quoted Comment Ive heard about doing a cocktail hour before,
It sounds like it’s be so much fun!