When you are planning your African American wedding, you should most definitely try to incorporate African colors. These colors will be red, green and black. These three main colors should be included into the wedding decorations and outfits of the wedding party and guests.
When you are in the processo of ordering wedding invitations, you will want to choose ones that reflect your African heritage. Think carefully about choosing ones that are neutral in color but with ethnic accents such as a paisley border or gold trim.
In regard to music, this will be a vital element of your African American wedding. You will want to have a gospel singer or gospel choir to sing at the ceremony . In addtion, you will want to arrange for a drum to be played during the ceremony. The drummer should match the music to the tone of the wedding ceremony. It is also wonderful if you can include African dancers to come down the aisle ahead of the bride to create a dramatic entrance.
The best man will also be called a “warrior” and he will walk ahead of the groom, holding a shield in front of him to protect the bonding of the bride's and groom's families. This is a rich tradtion that should not be overlooked.
Showing respect for elders is a main element of an African American wedding. They should be honored by being a vital part of your wedding. For example, you may want to ask an elder to pour a libation during the ceremony, which is the pouring of liquid in honor of one's ancestors. Again, this is a very strong African American tradition.
One aspect of an African American wedding is to really spice things up! You can do so, by tasting just a bit of hot pepper. The concept behind this tradtion is to remind you of hot moments to come. Bride and groom can also have a taste of kola nuts, to remind them that they need to stay united during hard times.
One thing you will want to make sure to do is to hold hands with your spouse as you stand at the altar and when you both walk back down the aisle together. This tradition is a variation on one used by some tribes in which the couple's wrists are tied to one another with plaited grass.
Don’t forget to Include the ritual of jumping the broom at the end of the ceremony. This tradition derives from when slaves were forbidden to marry and instead they constructed this symbolic gesture to make their union strong. It also represents the sweeping away of the past and the welcoming of the wonderful future of the marrying couple.
Every ethnic group will have their own wonderful tradtions. A Native American wedding, for example, will have wonderful and unique tradtitions. If you wish to have a wedding that refects your heritage, you should most definatley do so.