A wedding is filled with tons of wedding traditions that are standard. In fact, it might not feel quite like a wedding without them! From the bride wearing a white dress to exchanging wedding vows in front of your family and friends, wedding traditions help make the day special.
Today, it’s common for couples getting married to want to do something unique. For example, Christine on Selling Sunset wore a black wedding dress. A unique element we’re seeing more often is when couples incorporate traditional wedding rituals that represent their culture or heritage. Many of these wedding rituals haven’t been as prevalent either outside the couple’s community or their popularity has simply diminished in past years. However, one of these might be the perfect addition to learn about for your big day. Here are five unique wedding traditions that you’ve probably never heard of (unless it is from your own heritage)!
Tinikling Dance
You’ve seen the Twist, Cupid Shuffle, and the Wobble, but what about traditional dances at a wedding? The Tinikling is the Philippine national dance which you’ll easily recognize if you see large sticks on the dance floor. The dance is meant to imitate the movement of a bird hopping between tree branches. This traditional dance is performed at special events or weddings to express the Filipino culture.
Jumping The Broom
This tradition occurs after the wedding ceremony when the couple jumps over a broom to seal the marriage deal! Jumping over a broom is a tradition in some African-American and Celtic communities and if you’ve never seen it at a wedding, you (or your parents) may have witnessed it on the TV show, “Roots” in the late 70s. The couple simply jumps over a broom together while holding hands.
There are varying theories of where the broomstick wedding originated. However, some say it may have inspired the tradition of “carrying the bride over the threshold.” This is when you’ll see the groom carry his bride into their home for the first time after their wedding to avoid bad luck.
Log Cutting Ceremony
In German wedding tradition, the couple has to go through the log cutting ceremony. This tradition is supposed to represent the couple’s first obstacle together. By sawing through the log, the couple shows that they can get through any hard problem that life throws at them. Traditionally, it’s just supposed to be the wedded couple cutting the log. We’ve found that some families come in and move the process along. It’s symbolic in its own way because it can remind the couple that even though they have each other, they can always look to their family member for support with any obstacles they face.
Yugal
Another wedding tradition from the Filipino culture involves a cord. The cord is called the “yugal” which is draped around the couple in a figure eight. This represents the infinite bond that is created by the couple through the wedding ceremony. Who puts the cord on the couple, or even makes the cord, holds significance to both of them. One thing is certain, the bond can never be broken once placed upon the couple!
La Vibora de La Mar
The La Vibora de La Mar or the Snake Dance is a Mexican wedding tradition that includes wedding guests as well as the bride and groom. The newlyweds will be standing on chairs on the dance floor. They form an arch with the bride’s veil or by holding hands. This is the arch that the “snake” will pass through. The snake is all of your participating wedding guests in a line holding hands or touching shoulders that will roam through the room like a snake.
We recommend having a couple of guests hold the bride and groom to ensure that no one is injured. After all, the job of the snake is to try to knock the bride and groom off of their chairs! This tradition is done twice, once with all of the single ladies as the snake and again with all of the single guys in attendance. Often, the guys will end up successfully knocking the groom off of his chair. If that happens, he is then carried and tossed into the air to celebrate. The tradition usually ends with the bride and groom doing the bouquet and garter toss from one of the chairs.
Complete Weddings + Events in Houston
Reach out to Texas wedding professionals to help you or connect you to more wedding resources to make sure you’re getting help where it’s needed. Complete Weddings + Events in Houston is a text or phone call away (713.979.1794) for advice or to set up a consultation to chat through your event! Ready to bring your wedding traditions to life? Contact us for details on planning the perfect wedding day!