Love comes in all shapes and sizes, which means that people from entirely different cultures can fall head over heels regardless of their beliefs or family cultural background. But when you both decide to tie the knot, you have to respect not just each other but all of the family members. Especially when traditional weddings are non-negotiable for some families, it is quite hard to navigate through all the family discussions and make sure it’s an enjoyable experience and an experience where wedding traditions honor both cultures.
Compromize and communication are huge factors when it comes to honouring traditions at the wedding. Some people aren’t educated on what traditions might symbolize, which is where communication comes in. However, sharing the platform for both backgrounds to be honoured is also where compromise is key.
One of the most beautiful aspects of a multicultural wedding is the opportunity to educate, blend and create something so special and unique that will be remembered forever by both sides of the family and the wedding couple. But with so many customs and wedding traditions, how and where do the soon-to-be-wed couple begin?
This guide will help you navigate the whole process of planning the ultimate blended wedding!
Make a List
The first thing you need to do is sit down with your partner and wedding planner, if you are lucky enough to get one, and make a list of things you must have and things you really don’t want at your wedding.
It’s important that you both be extremely transparent and honest with each other. It’s a lot to ask for someone to throw away their traditions and adopt all of yours, so it’s only fair that you have a full view of what is non-negotiable to the other person and plan around that list.
Having it in writing will also allow you to refer back to it when you make any arrangements, but it’s also a good thing to present to the parents, which is the next stage.
Talk To Your Families
While your family might already know you have been dating your partner for a long time, some don’t even believe in dating, so they might only be introduced when the engagement has occurred. Nonetheless, it is important to present all the changes and remove or add traditions to the ceremony.
At the end of the day, we want all of our family and friends to be happy with our choices, but tradition can sometimes be more important than your wishes, so approach the conversation delicately. Just remember that it’s impossible to please everyone. There will be those around you who aren’t happy with some decisions you have made, but at the end of the day, it’s your life.
A good tip could be communicating with both sides’ parents and asking them to pick 3 of their non-negotiable wedding traditions. This way, you are adding your culture to your wedding, allowing space for your partner’s traditions while also pleasing the parents, which, for some people, is the hardest hurdle to get over.
Identify Overlapping Themes
While some people’s wedding traditions are complete opposites, there are some similarities that you can identify and capitalize on. This will allow both sides of the family to bond and blend smoothly, but it will also show everyone that you are not so different. Focus on these common threads to create a foundation for your ceremony.
Consider Two Ceremonies
While this might only have to be the case if families aren’t willing to compromise, you both have it in your budget to have your own ceremony that your families can appreciate and share. There have been cases where families aren’t happy with specific changes. For example, in Indian culture, the colour white is a symbol of mourning, whereas in other cultures, such as Jewish or Christian weddings, white is a must and a symbol of purity.
These clashes where rules cause issues between the families and the wedding party sometimes aren’t worth the arguments and are easier to split into two ceremonies to please the whole family but also get married as you were born to. This also allows both sides of the family to dress comfortably for the wedding they are attending, whether it be a sahari, thobe, abaya, maxi dress, or a thobe from Hawaa.
Hire a Specialized Wedding Planner
Finding someone who has experience fusing different multicultures and wedding traditions is extremely key. Not only do you want someone professional, but it is so much easier to trust a wedding planner with experience and knowledge of both of your cultures. This will make it easier all around in terms of timelines, budgets, venues, and appropriate vendors.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to planning your dream multicultural wedding, it will depend on the kind of discussions you have as a couple and what you get back from your families. Some services can help you blend wedding traditions, but there are also alternative solutions no matter what gets thrown your way.
