Wedding customs in Jamaica

Jamaica is famous for its tropical climate, wonderful beaches and very hospitable and kind people, so the wedding of two people in Jamaica is an event followed by the presence of lots of their family and friends. The wedding traditions in Jamaica represent the fusion of European and African influences, which creates a unique blend of wedding customs.

The wedding dress of the bride is usually a white gown, decorated by a piece of lace from her mother’s wedding dress. When the couple has children, their christening gowns are sewn from the bride’s wedding dress. When it comes to the groom, he usually wears a black suit or a tuxedo, even though nowadays you can often see a groom wearing white as well.

As soon as they get engaged, Jamaican couples announce the news to the family and friends, and it is often celebrated by a party. This is when the groom’s grandmother or mother soaks dried fruit in rum and leaves it until the wedding, and the bride’s mother or grandmother uses this fruit to bake a wedding cake before the wedding. There are several other cakes as well, which are carried by to the wedding location by married women who wear matching white dresses and head-ties for the occasion. There are two rules to be followed during this ceremony – nobody is allowed to speak, and the cakes are covered with white lace because it is considered bad luck if the bride sees the cakes before the wedding.

Before the wedding, the men of the community construct a booth next to the groom’s house, using coconut boughs for building and flowers for decoration. The groom is not allowed to participate in the building, but he is allowed to supervise the work. It is usually a one-day work, and after the wedding ceremony is over, this is where the reception takes place.

The reception includes cutting the cake, toasting the newlyweds and eating, after which lots of music, dancing and laughing takes place until the day breaks.