Trend Five- Graceful Cultural Infusion

Blending two different cultures into one family can be a hard task, but planning a wedding that reflects both sides can make it a distinctive and irreplaceable experience. Family traditions hold a great deal of importance and a wedding that is multicultural will need to celebrate both sides and not spotlight one over the other.

Guests can get a sneak peek at what is to come by the invitation. One idea is to print the invitation in the two native tongues. This will let the guests know the important details of the time, place, bride and groom’s name, but will also show that this event will celebrate the merging of two different cultures.

While some families handle this situation by letting one side plan the ceremony and the other plan the reception, many couples like to merge both. In return this lets the families feel like they have a say in the planning. A way to merge cultures for the ceremony is by using the traditions of both in the program, during the ceremony and using a mix of music that is special to both sides of the family.

There are many easy ways to combine the two cultures at the reception. One of the most popular ways is to mix the menu of the reception cuisine. For example, if a Hispanic family is marrying into a Chinese family an idea is to serve Empanada appetizers with personalized chopsticks. Another common idea is to intermix the different types of music played throughout the night. Not only will this bring together the two styles of music, but it will also keep the entertainment level high and exciting. It is also fun to have a signature drink at the beginning of the reception that is influenced by one of the cultures. An example of this would be to serve Sangria with a cute colorful flag serving as the stir for the drink. Incorporating cultural influences into the favors for the guests is also a great way to showcase the various cultures gracefully. At midnight the guests could be offered cultural specific cookies or snacks like the picture above of the ‘Mexican Wedding Cake’ cookies. If it is an Asian theme you are incorporating, a ‘take-out’ box filled with the couple’s favorite cookies and then closed with a sticker that contains a wish for the guests is cute and tasteful.

We feel the most important aspect when incorporating various cultures is to do it gracefully and with taste. You don’t want your guests to leave the wedding feeling like it was a “theme” wedding. However, you do want your guests to understand the importance of the background of the bride and groom and that it was recognized. Remember there is a graceful balance.