Five Unique Wedding Traditions From Across the United States

Five Unique Wedding Traditions From Across the United States

Every wedding is as unique as the couple that plans it. Weddings from around the world are all influenced by the culture of their location and the familial and ancestral traditions of the couple to be wed. In the United States, certain traditions arose from superstitious practices or historical customs, and some came from the cultural differences of the varying geographic locations across the country. Here are five unique wedding traditions from across the United States.

Bury the Bourbon

The South has a number of unique traditions to call its own. One of these is called “Burying the Bourbon,” a tradition in which couples bury a full bottle of bourbon upside-down in the ground at their venue location exactly one month before they are set to say “I do.” If the ceremony is set to begin at 7 p.m., then the couple must be digging the hole for their bourbon bottle at 7 p.m. If the tradition is done correctly, it is said to ward off rain and bad weather on their wedding day. The bottle cannot be cracked open before it is buried, but once you have sealed the deal on your big day, you can dig up your bourbon bottle to share with your wedding party in celebration.

Second Line Parade

New Orleans is a city with a rich and vibrant history and culture. The Second Line Parade is a tradition specific to New Orleans weddings and it signifies the beginning of a new life for the wedded couple after the ceremony. There are two lines in a second line parade: The first line is usually a brass band and the ones being honored — aka the happy couple! The couple of honor lead the second line of the parade holding decorated umbrellas or parasols and handkerchiefs to wave while dancing to the music. The second line is made of up of any guests who want to join in the celebration. Guests follow behind the band in a similar lively fashion in a unique and energetic celebration of the couple’s future.

Groom’s Cake

Another uniquely southern wedding tradition is the Groom’s Cake, an entirely separate dessert from the main wedding cake that is decorated to showcase the groom’s personality, interests and hobbies. While the historical tradition of the groom’s cake is rooted in richer, deeper flavors, and the use of alcohol in the dessert to create a more masculine appeal, today’s cakes are more often about aesthetic and visual interest to give the groom something that represents him when the clean, floral and more feminine cake styles just won’t do.

Viennese Hour

Seen most often in New York and New Jersey, the Viennese Hour, or Venetian Hour, is a tradition that stems from Italian roots. The Viennese Hour involves an indulgent dessert display typically filled with Italian sweets that graces guests for the duration of the event after dinner and the customary cake cutting. While this is historically an Italian tradition, the Viennese Hour can be adopted to suit a variety of heritages or preferences. An elaborate dessert display featuring dishes from your own cultural background or just your favorite foods can be a beautiful substitute if Italian sweets are not quite your cup of tea.

Lei Exchange

In Hawaii, couples exchange lei’s on their special day to signify love, respect, commitment, and gratitude. Lei’s are beautiful garlands worn around the neck constructed from flowers, foliage, seashells, bones, and other items. Lei’s are often used and given as symbols of love among local Hawaiians and including the lei exchange in an already special day is a powerful statement of devotion between partners.

These Five Unique Wedding Traditions from Across the United States are intriguing examples of distinct customs that have risen from the cultural differences that are common in different areas of the country. Even just within the confines of our country’s borders, there are so many fun traditions to experience or adopt in planning your own dream wedding. These five examples are just a few of our favorite unconventional wedding customs here in the United States.