African American Wedding

Every country has its own traditions. When it comes to the marriage of a boy or a girl, Africans attach lots of importance to this occasion. It is rich in cultural traditions whether it is marriage or marriage rituals. Every part of Africa has customs and rituals which have their own significance. In Ethiopia, puberty of bride to be is celebrated, cuts are made on her abdomen and then ash is rubbed over it, this is done to be enhance her desirability.In Swahili tribe of Kenya, there are lots of rituals which are done to enhance the beauty of bride. She is massaged with sandalwood and lots of oils. Henna designs are tattooed on her limbs. Then she is instructed by older womenfolk how to please her husband.In Masai tribe, brides are insulted by the older women of groom’s family to ward off bad luck.In modern society, the celebrations and rituals present more modern way.

Marriage is an auspicious occasion; it is union of two people. It demands some celebration. It is customary to hold dinners, processions and parties at this occasion. Guests include friends, relatives and families of both girl and a boy.There are lots of other activities which need to be done for the gathering and rituals which are associated with the marriage. Wedding planners are made in advance. List of guests is prepared.Then next important task is deciding the venue for the big day. Lots of big and small hotels have nice arrangement for the wedding celebration. The selection of place of wedding may be according to the number of guest and budget set for the ceremony.

The other thing is the selection of menu for the dinner. Lots of cuisines are available in all the restaurants and hotels. You can pick up from the wide variety that is offered in the hotels. You can choose traditional delicacies which will be much liked by your African guests. Apart from it there are Caribbean and South American dishes to complement your menu. Local dishes are much preferred because they give the taste of home cooked food.

Other important thing is bridal accessories. As it is unique and very special day for the bride, her attires should be exotic. Lots of wedding dresses are available in the market. Designers give a unique touch of elegance to the gowns or frocks which contains frills, bows and beads.which makes an important part of bridal accessory contains necklace, earring, rings and bracelets which are worn by the brides. Diamond studded jewels add to the beauty of the brides.

Bride maids too dress up beautifully for the occasion. Special dresses for the bride maids can be purchased from any leading store. Flower baskets decorated with bows and beads are used to contain petals of red and pink roses to be showered upon the couple.Then there are wedding rings that are exchanged between the couple on the big day.

Broom jumping is one of the important ceremonies of African marriages. It is associated with the ancient rituals of marriage among slaves. This ceremony is performed after the minister pronounces the couple man and woman. A broom can be purchased from the market or you can use your home’s broom. A broom is decorated with bells, bows and ribbons to make it beautiful. Apart from all these, wedding cakes are cut. Various beautiful cakes in wonderful shapes can be purchased from the stores.

A marriage is a moment of happiness and togetherness, music, dance and excitement has to be there to make it a unique occasion. Various types of songs like traditional beats and modern pop can be played to set every foot tap to its tunes.Reception is held after the marriage and blessing are showered on the couple for the bright future of the married life. Gifts and flowers are presented to the couple to complement them for the occasion.