Marrying Traditions: A Guide to Your Dream Fusion Wedding

Marrying Traditions: A Guide to Your Dream Fusion Wedding - Eternity

Marrying Traditions: A Guide to Your Dream Fusion Wedding

7th July 2023

Planning a wedding is an exhilarating journey, and for couples organising a fusion wedding, it holds even more significance. Creating a wedding that embodies their unique love story while honouring two distinct cultures adds an additional layer of significance to their beautiful day. While fusion weddings do present their share of challenges, the end result is truly extraordinary.

If you’re embarking on the planning process for a fusion wedding and find yourself in need of guidance on where to begin or what steps to take next, here are some valuable tips to assist you on your journey…

Where to start

Now you’re engaged you can start planning your big day which is so exciting! You may have had a vision of what your wedding day would look like for a long time but you may not have considered planning a wedding incorporating different traditions to what you were raised with. It’s understandable that you may have some questions to ask your partner to decide what they have envisioned and together you can begin to plan the perfect wedding.

When planning a fusion wedding celebration, understanding the nuances of your day before you book your big items such as your wedding venue is incredibly important. You need the details of whether they allow for a certain type of ceremony, whether they can provide a suitable kitchen for the food preparation of your culture and even if a certain supplier that you require is able to get there. Choosing the right venue is definitely an anchor for your wedding planning so make sure you consider other important aspects that will dictate your venue choice ahead of saying yes and being disappointed later down the line.

communication is key

When planning a fusion wedding it is incredibly important to make sure that you communicate and set expectations for the day. Start with talking to your close family, friends and people who will have a financial input into the day so you can begin to understand what they are hoping the day will look like.

They may express certain traditions in your culture that they wouldn’t want to be missed such as being able to walk you down the aisle. You should be able to explain what is possible and understand what to incorporate in your wedding. You may find that many symbolic gestures in a wedding are shared between your cultures, for instance exchanging rings in some wedding ceremonies has a very similar meaning and symbolic gesture as exchanging flower garlands in a Hindu wedding ceremony. Therefore, your family may be able to understand and accept the symbol in a different form.

You should also communicate what you will not be including and give a reason for this. For instance, you may decide that a white wedding dress is not something you will be wearing as although in some cultures it is the traditional colour for a wedding dress in others it represents bad luck. Remember, this fusion of cultures doesn’t end after the wedding and though your loved ones will have been aware of your partner’s culture for a while it’s important to get them onboard and include them in your plans to create more harmony and understanding in the future.

IT's in the details

As we shared previously, it’s important to consider how to implement all of the details for a fusion wedding. Two things that can bring the whole event together are the wedding catering and entertainment. These two aspects tend to be part of the reception rather than the ceremony, therefore there is more scope to put your own spin on them.

When it comes to your wedding menu, discuss your ideas with your caterer and they may be able to help you create the perfect pairing of your tastes. One thing to remember is that the preparation of food is very significant in some cultures and it may mean that a proportion of your guests are unable to eat the food if it is not processed to their specifications. Also certain meats are not consumed in some cultures such as pork and beef so make sure there is at least one alternative option (or these are avoided entirely) at your wedding. Even if you or your partner do not have dietary requirements, there may be a large percentage of your guests who do.

Entertainment is a great way to get your guests involved and people tend to get excited when someone else gets involved with their cultural traditions and enjoys them. One way you could get your guests involved with a culture that is different to their own is to have recognisable songs played on traditional instruments, this is sure to get everyone together on the dance floor!

It’s important to express your personality as a couple and do things that you find fun, this way your guests will remember your wedding for years to come.

spreading the word

One thing to consider when planning a fusion wedding is do your guests know what they are supposed to do on the day? Do they know when to stand, when to sit and if they play an involved role at any point of the ceremony? This is something that should be communicated in advance of the day and definitely not just the night before! This will ensure that they can participate and appreciate the day that you have planned. If the information is useful for every guest, such as order of events or dress code, then it is definitely worth adding to your wedding website.

Plus, you should make sure to tell your guests what will be included in the ceremony and what will not be included so their expectations are set. Do not assume that everyone will be aware.

To manage any questions on the day, it is a good idea to assign a “best person”, this can be a sibling, maid of honour/ best man or special guest who will be on hand on your wedding day. They need to understand what your vision is on the day and should also be well versed in the traditions of the day so they can answer any questions. There are traditions that can even vary from family to family so it is important that this person knows what yours are and that they don’t just go off their own script! This will ensure that everything you have planned goes smoothly and you won’t have to be disturbed from taking in every moment and enjoying your wedding day.

Remember, the key to planning a successful fusion wedding is to blend the elements from both cultures harmoniously while respecting the different traditions and their significance. Embrace the diversity and celebrate the union of two families coming together in love and unity. There is such a wide variety of different ways you can celebrate your wedding traditions as well as your partners and we are sure whatever you choose to do, it will be an amazing wedding. If you need any more tips why not listen to this episode of Guides for Brides – The Wedding Podcast.

About the author: Jessica Jex

Jess is a lover of all things wedding and dreams about being a wedding and event planner once she graduates from her BSc in Management at Loughborough University! She has completed her placement year at Guides for Brides and has loved seeing how couples personalise their wedding days and what traditions they choose to follow. So, you can often find her figuring out all the latest trends from celebrity weddings and Say Yes To The Dress!