African American Wedding Programs
The contemporary African American wedding programs often incorporate unique ceremonies depicting the heritage and cultural tradition. The wedding incorporates a number of rituals that are practiced for long life peace and happiness of the couple.
The Traditional African American Wedding Programs
The rituals are numerous and all of them are so much colorful. Pouring of Libations of African Americans is an important part of the wedding ceremony. This tradition is followed to show respect to the elders and the wisdom they possess. Cowry shells are in demand in most of the wedding houses, since they are believed to bring good luck and great fortune. The shells are used at the fringes of the Bride’s dress and used for church decorations.
Sweeping of the courtyard is an important ritual incorporated in the African American wedding program. This is to show that the two families of the bride and the groom are ready to blend with delight. Another important ritual is the tasting of the four elements, such as hot (cayenne pepper), sweet (honey), sour (lemon) and bitter (vinegar). This custom is followed to sensationalize the promise that, love will always glow bright – for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.
In the past, the African Americans wedding programs did not have the ring exchange ceremony, which was strictly restricted to the whites. However, now this ceremony is delightfully practiced amongst the African Americans.
The Following Should Be Included In The African American Wedding Programs
First, you should pick a quality fabric for your gown, but make sure to know the significance of the weave and pattern that has been used in the fabric. Red, green and black are the true African colors and you can use lots of them in the wedding.
Be selective when choosing the wedding invitation, so that it incorporates paisley border or gold trim. A gospel singer or a gospel choir should be present at your wedding to sing the holy songs. A drummer can be the ideal choice to match up with the music. You may choose dancers, who can come down the aisle dancing and make your entrance a dramatic one.
A best man should be the part of the African American wedding Programs, so that he can shield the groom and the bride from evils. Elder’s blessing is most important for your wedding and you can ask them to be a part of the ceremony. To get the real taste of marriage, the couple should try both hot pepper to remind you that hot times are going to come and kola nuts to remind you that hard times are going to come too.
You can follow the ‘jumping the broom’ ritual, which will show that the newly wed couples have stepped in to a new life. Try to incorporate the main African foods in the menu, such as chicken, plantains, yams and banana fritters.
However, prior to following the rituals of the African American wedding programs, you should understand that there are almost 1000 different African tribes and each have their own custom and ritual. Hence, the rituals of the African American Wedding programs can vary from place to place.
