Check out this guest post by our friends at AbayaButh – the experts on cross-cultural wedding planning!
Weddings are a time of joy, celebration and unity; no matter your faith, background or circumstance. But, as one of the most important days of your life, planning can be understandably stressful. And when it comes to marrying couples from different cultures, things can become even more difficult as you attempt to blend a myriad of traditions and customs together. With so many different aspects to consider, and two different sets of families to please, it can be easy to become overwhelmed – and that’s where this post on cross-cultural wedding planning comes in.
As the modest fashion experts at AbayaButh, we’re offering our top insights for organizing a stress-free cross-cultural wedding – so you can create the wedding of your dreams without sacrificing any of your heritage.
Spec out your options
When it comes to your wedding day, we all have a unique vision of what we want. But throw different faiths or backgrounds into the mix and things can become a little blurry. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for a union, and that’s especially true if there are cultural considerations to think about – which is why it’s crucial to think about your own vision for how you want the day to go. It’s not uncommon in interfaith unions for two separate ceremonies or even separate weddings to take place, or, alternatively, for a single ceremony/wedding that combines elements of both cultures.
Of course, this decision is one of the most important that you’ll make, so think carefully about whether you’ll feel fulfilled if you opt for a single celebration, or whether you’d like to honour each faith separately. If you decide to plan two distinct ceremonies or weddings, bear in mind that this will impact on your budget and will add another layer of planning to the process. Whichever way you go, making this decision early on will mean you’ve taken the first big step in planning the day’s celebrations.
Know that you can’t please everyone
Before diving into your wedding planning, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone will be pleased about every aspect of the day – and that means you shouldn’t design your wedding to please others. After all, a wedding day is for the couple, not for the family – no matter how much they may want to be involved. The best you can do is plan the day around what you want, while being respectful of family backgrounds and faiths. They’ll appreciate any effort you make to accommodate your heritage.
Find opportunities to blend
No matter the background or beliefs of the couple, there will likely be aspects of the wedding where combining the cultures will be possible. Multicultural wedding celebrations can provide a more unique experience than a single-culture union. So, when it comes to making compromises, things don’t always have to go one way or the other. Find a happy middle ground to plan a wedding that both parties, and both sets of guests, will enjoy.
Keep it simple
With twice the traditions to think about, it can be tempting to try and cram everything in. But the art to organizing a successful cross-cultural wedding is simplicity – as overcomplication will only cause more stress. Instead, more subtle hints can just as effectively acknowledge heritage, such as imported flowers, symbolic accent colors, traditional food or wedding invitations that include flags, symbols or even a simple sentence explaining the format.
Love knows no borders, and in today’s day and age, more of us are marrying out of our traditional background than ever. A union of two cultures doesn’t have to be a stressful experience – as, in fact, it’s a truly beautiful thing. If there’s one thing to take away from this post, it’s that a wedding should be a celebration of love with your nearest and dearest family and friends by your side. Do what makes you happy and your special day will be everything you’ve ever dreamed.
Abi Proud is a content creator for AbayaButh – retailers of abayas, hijabs and a range of modest Islamic clothing for women.
