Its unclear if this is still a widely practised tradition in the modern life. Friends and relatives begin sending presents long before the "big day". But, Jamaica being mainly a Christian country, the wedding is still done in a Christian format. Kumina combines Jamaican dances, traditional songs, and rhythmic drumming it's very musical in nature and spectacular to watch. If you thought the goat was essential, its nothing compared to the cake. New! The music is played by guitar, fife and banjo. The speeches, usually full of praise, would be followed by dancing. Copyright Simbis Inc.All rights reserved. Kumina combines Jamaican dances, traditional songs, and rhythmic drumming . It is also decorated with different types of tropical flowers to resemble the beaches, and the beauties of the country itself. At Jamaican wedding receptions, a dark rum-fruitcake is served to all the guests. Since Jamaica is such a popular destination for marriages, there's a great deal of legal paperwork travelers have to fill out to make their Jamaican wedding dreams a reality. The roof was adorned with coconut-bough and songs like these were sung: Hosanna, mu bil me house oh, a, haMe buil it pon rocky ground, ha, haDe breeze can blow it down, ha, haIt buil pon rocky ground, ha, ha., The Food Preparation at Old Time Jamaican Weddings, Food for the builders and sugar cane juice were prepared by the women for the wedding guests. The couple traditionally goes to a farm and picks out the goat for their wedding, but some more modern couples opt not to do this. While English is the official language of Jamaica, Patois is spoken much more frequently and comfortably, hence the most common Jamaican phrases are almost exclusively in Patois. Also, at least 30 days before your wedding ceremony, you must send your wedding venue paperwork such as birth certificates, a valid photo ID, and (if necessary) divorce paperwork. 6 Jamaican Wedding Traditions You Might Not Know About The responsibility of cutting the bottom tier would then lie with two of the cake bearers, and the person who sliced it faster than the other would be marked as the next person to marry. Planning to travel here? And Jamaican weddings can last all night. Although Jamaican culture is always changing, with many of the old ways of life giving way to the unstoppable march of modernisation and urbanisation, the unique Jamaican fabric is still there, and the only way to get a true sense of this is to see the island for yourself. Top image: mauricioalvesfotos / Shutterstock, Use Rough Guides' trusted partners for great rates. The cake is also the last thing to make an appearance at the wedding reception and is covered by a veil to keep it hidden until it is ready to be cut. In Jamaican culture, Jamaican Black Rum Cake is the wedding cake of choice. Join our newsletter to get the latest articles, news, & videos. Before the ceremony, ring games were played, and people dined on the wide array of foods available. Over and above having their own responsibilities, these god parents helped the couple to choose their wedding rings too. Its a motivating factor for brides to white-knuckle their bouquet. Old time Jamaican weddings in the country were known for their characteristic wedden godmaddas and godfaddas two parent figures chosen by the bride and the groom. Today, modern couples seek help from wedding consultants or planners, but in the past, planning responsibilities were taken on by those who lived near the couple and knew them well. How Jamaican Men Say Thank You to another Jamaican How Jamaicans Greet You When They Have Not Seen You 20 English Words That Sound Better In Jamaican Patois. The wedden godmadda took active part in arranging the wedding cake, decorating the wedden table and participated in the cake parade. This is very similar to African traditions. Madly . The bride is traditionally given away by both her mother and father. Jamaican brides tend to wear white dresses and men wear formal suits. If youre interested in these pre-colonial Jamaican practices, please read on. These cookies do not store any personal information. This isnt a problem for many Jamaicans as their backyards can also double as a wedding venue. Jamaicas Ackee And Saltfish Ranks Number 2 On 5 Recipes to Try on National Jamaican Jerk Day, Jamaican Ital Sweet Potato Pudding Recipe. This was then followed by one of the most exciting ceremonies of the wedding conducted by the wedden godfadda. site may be reprodiced without our written permission. Walking down the aisle becomes a family affair in Jamaican weddings. 1. What is the average cost of a wedding in Jamaica? Sacred cake and curried goat: The unique Jamaican wedding traditions Here are six Jamaican wedding traditions you may not know about. Rum is a significant spiritin Jamaican culture and gets some extra love during a joyous wedding. The caked placed in the center would have 3 tiers each of which would be covered with white cloths and carried on the head. The money that is collected through this bidding is then presented to the couple, which they can use for starting their new life. An Expert Guide, 28 Vow Books to Complete Your Wedding Ceremony, The Origin, History & Etiquette Behind the Groom's Cake, Wedding Processional: From First to Last Down the Aisle, What to Expect as an Indian Wedding Bridesmaid. Jamaican Revivalism is a mix of European and African religious traditions, turned into something uniquely Jamaican. Many wedding guests make fruitcakes so no one gets left out at the reception. In Jamaica, the more guests there are at the wedding, the better it is. In olden days, a large number of cakes were prepared for the wedding, which were covered with lace and carried to the wedding venue, by a group of married women. The cuisine offered at a wedding is not something that is taken lightly. Theres usually tons of food, rum, and cakes to be consumed at this festive occasion. . Try to avoid seeing him as to look at him is highly dangerous, and if he attacks then that means certain death. Everyone is silent during this procession and the cake is covered in white lace which is thenunveiled. It is then killed and used to make the curry which will be served at the reception. Ready To Visit Jamaica?Look Herefor amazing deals and discounts on our new hotelbooking page! This cake is usually served to guests and it is even retained for serving on the earliest anniversary. To better understand the Jamaican wedding traditions you may consider including in your big day and/or other wedding-related events, we spoke with event planner Roxanne Bellamy and wedding planner and designer Kara-Ann Boyne-Anderson of Petals & Promises Jamaica. Guests and members of the wedding party will construct a marquee or tent in the grooms backyard for the reception. Jamaican culture and folklore is teeming with ghosts, spirits, and duppies. At a Jamaican wedding, it is considered all right to show up uninvited. 9 Fascinating Jamaican Wedding Traditions | A Jamaica Experience Bonus: Modern Jamaican Wedding Traditions. Many are the ghosts of real people who have died, but there are also specific ghosts that are a traditional staple of childrens bedtime stories. In modern times, many of these folk customs and traditions are no longer observed, and new practices have been introduced, but the old ways are still remembered fondly and respected. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Jamaican phrases - Real Examples (with a bit of history), The Colonial History of Jamaica | The Pieces We Tend Not To Talk About, Vegetarian Restaurants in Jamaica| 12 Top Choices Across the Island, Digicel Jamaica | The Bigger, Better Network, Scuba Diving in Ocho Rios Jamaica | 9 Dive Sites You Should Explore, Waterfalls in Negril Jamaica | 4 Waterfalls Near the Capital of Casual. While the wedding party and close relatives and friends will be designated a table at the reception and space during the ceremony, other people are welcome to stand or sit wherever they like to enjoy the ceremony and witness the union. Curried goat, though, is a special Jamaican tradition that carries over from generations of local use. Miss Lou describes the dinner which is the next event. The cakes were in the sides, were never covered and always hand-carried. Almost ever Jamaican festivity has some kind of homemade cake attached with it, and traditional Jamaican weddings are no different. For instance, these parent figures were responsible for organizing the entire wedding event, starting from collecting funds from parents and relatives from each side, choosing volunteers and more. Jamaicans will sometimes sprinkle white rum in the venue's yard to ward off evil spirits," Anderson notes. For example the brides mother sometimes may prepare a very large traditional Jamaican meal for the guests, because of the cost being cheaper than catering, Every bride and groom want the perfect scene for the wedding, so they need time to envision the perfect venue for the ceremony, and the reception. Traditional Jamaican wedding food includes two staple ingredients; goat curry and rum. Most Jamaican weddings serve rum punch, rum sangrias, and frozen rum drinks. Jamaica is a popular destination for couples looking for an exotic destination wedding. Kingston: Twin Guinep Publishers, (pp.510-511),The Story of the Jamaican people. Some people add nutmeg to give the gizzada an extra flavor. It has been over six and a half years since Ive moved to Jamaica. The curry is slow cooked for hours and is packed with flavour. We Collected Some Interesting Wedding Facts. But they are noted for their traditional customer of making rum/fruit cake for the wedding guests and sometimes frozen varieties during the first wedding anniversary. A wedding vase is traditionally used by Native American couples in the Southwest but it is being used increasingly by couples everywhere drawn to the culture's spirituality and reverence for nature, the earth, and the environment.Sea and Sky Wedding vase by Geraldine Vail, Navajo Indian Artist . This in essence, shows the custom of involving family and several community members in the planning and celebration of a wedding. After the wedding, the bride, groom, and the parties will go to the reception venue, and meet the other guests. Copyright Wedessence & Buzzle.com, Inc. In Western culture, the brides father gives her away at the altar. How many of these did you already know? There will always be reggae playing at a wedding reception. This party will also feature plenty of cake, delicious food, and rum! Having trouble coming up with a theme that embraces you as a couple? Jamaican wedding cakes are beautiful, tropical, and full of spice. Before the posts were inserted, rum was pored in the holes dog on the ground for the purpose. So, include a few of these in your wedding as well and make it a memorable, surprising and special day for yourself as well as your invitees! The wedding doesnt stop after thereception has finished. Bellamy points out that Jamaica is unique in that it is a cultural mecca. However, in earlier days, a booth was specifically built from coconut boughs at the grooms house and the reception was planned there. Another unique thing about a Jamaican wedding is that the wedding reception is extended to the Sunday after the ceremony. This fruity cake has a spicy taste thanks to a boatload of aromatic spices like cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This is no longer practised, or not as much, but in times past, the cakes were made and brought to the wedding reception by married women of both families. But a Jamaican beach wedding calls for the groom to embrace casualness - khaki shorts or trousers with floral shirts or button front shirts teamed with sandals or flip flops; however many couples go sans footwear (aww . Complete the declaration form. A meticulous chronicle elucidating the events of a typical and traditional Jamaican wedding day can be found in the 1981 Skywritings article written by Miss Lou. While some wedding receptions can run very late when everyone is having fun, Jamaican weddings take the cake on late-night parties. The drinks which were offered to the wedding guests would consist of cane liquor, rum, wine and ginger beer. Are there Ubers in Jamaica? The women wore white Jamaican clothing and head ties for this procession and did not speak to one another, till they reached the wedding venue. The guests are expected to stay late at the wedding reception. The wedden godfadda, on the other hand would accompany the bride and the bridal party, often on horseback. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Sign me up! Do like I did! Right after the wedding, everyone heads over to the grooms house for a reception. This takes place on the Sunday after wedding ceremony. The marriage certificate is signed on the day of the wedding. The cakes themselves were covered with white lace so that the bride did not see them until the day of her wedding. Its usually a curried goat that stews for hours. #shaqanddrewsayido#bridehive#vaingloriousbrides#bypetronella #petronellaphotography#thegramercynj#jamaicanwedding#multiculturalcouple#multiculturalwedding#formation, A post shared by Petronella Photography (@petronellaphotography) on Jan 30, 2018 at 4:35pm PST. Little bags of Blue Mountain Coffee - some of the world's rarest and renowned beans - make great wedding favours, as do little bottles of local rum. As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, this site may earn from qualifying purchases. On an episode of "Married Away" the other day, a couple was getting married in Jamaica and the WC mentioned a wedding tradition. 7. As the procession reached the reception yard, the cakes would be placed on the wedding table to be kept in the booth, till wedden godmadda returned from the church where she had accompanied the groom. The making of this cake starts long before the day of the wedding, in fact, the fruits (an ingredient in the cake) are soaked for the entire length of the engagement. Also, if the bride and groom are of different cultures, there would normally be two cakes. His Jamaican wedding traditions - Destination Weddings in Jamaica | Best Attendees in a procession bring in the cake under a veil to keep it hidden until the time to cut. Here youll find information and useful resources from our small team of wedding experts. Many Jamaican weddings dont even send out written, personalized invitations. 1. Traditionally, the backyard reception (in the grooms backyard) is held in a marquee built by members of the reception. I make money moves. Throw your bouquet directly to someone and do not let it fall on the ground. The traditional Jamaican wedding cake is not the average wedding cake. In olden times, the couple was excused from working in the fields during this time, and family members would bring them food and give them advice. Obeah men are still very popular in rural areas but are viewed in many urban communities nowadays as immoral. Instead of having the cake out in the open for the entire wedding, it is covered with a veil and then removed by these women. "Jerk chicken has also been a staple on the Jamaican wedding menu. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. How to Plan a Destination Wedding in Jamaica, The Best Wedding Vow Examples From Real Couples, 12 Moroccan Wedding Traditions and Customs to Know, 29 "Something Blue" Wedding Ideas That Feel Fresh, Say "I Love You" with 136 Love Quotes for Her, Relationship Quotes to Make Every Couple Feel All the Feels, The Meaning Behind Something Old, Something New, 11 Beautiful Vows From Couples Who Wrote Their Own, Say "I Love You" with 24 Love Quotes for Him, The Complete Guide to a Montego Bay Honeymoon, Timeless British Royal Wedding Traditions to Know, Who Stands on What Side of the Altar? As mentioned above, youll only find Jamaican wedding traditions practiced in less urbanized areas where village ties are still vitally important. Subscribe for all my updates and don't miss a thing! "The island is made up of people from many backgrounds and when it comes to weddings, each is personal to the couple. Wedding speeches began soon after the first piece of the rum/fruit cake was given to the newly-wed couple for sharing. Most toasts use rum, except a few, which traditionally use champagne to toast the happy couple. Although Jamaican law requires couples to be in Jamaica for at least 24 hours before their wedding ceremony, legal authorities make an exception if the couple is arriving on a cruise ship. Traditionally, the Jamaican wedding cake is a fruit cake laced with a dizzying amount of rum. Relatives of the couple and members of the community all had roles in preparing for the ceremony. But its not just about a yummy cake. Before guests arrive, the grooms family sets up a beautiful array of flowers for guests to enjoy. One of the strangest traditions is that on the day of the wedding, the street near the church is lined up with people. This fun tradition is when the bride invites all of the wedding guests back to her house for brunch and more festivities. However , one of the most popular features of a Jamaican wedding certainly is the rum/fruit pastry. After the I dos the marriage certificate is signed by the officiant, bride, groom and witnesses (usually the maid-of-honour and best man). However, if you want to stop her permanently, you need to find her skin and douse it with salt and pepper. No parts of this The typical Jamaican wedding food consists of rice, goat curry and rum punch. Despite the modernization and urbanization of Jamaican way of life, village ties are still important. Some of the wedding traditions are still followed today, while others have been discarded as people in Jamaica adopted new and modern lifestyles. (pp. Unfortunately, most people outside of the Caribbean only know the modern commercial side of Jamaican marriages. Its more than just a tasty dessert at your wedding; its a sacred cake meant to be treated with respect and appreciation. 2. It is perhaps the tradition most closely rooted in African cultures the Kumina religious group came originally from the Congo. ? Don't expect to see Jamaican to-be-weds wearing an engagement ring on their wedding finger ahead of the big day. What is considered bad luck on your wedding day? Not only is this pastry delicious, its actually quite simple to make. For preparing the curry of goat, the animal is first killed and then cooked before the wedding day. Kumina is a Jamaican religious ceremony involving music, dance, and spirit possession, and is a way of celebrating and appeasing ancestors. Here are 4 waterfalls nearby that are worth a visit. Probably the best part of a Jamaican wedding is, of course, that you dont have to travel at all to experience one of the worlds finest honeymoon destinations. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Now, this is still done but the veil is removed by the mothers of the bride and groom. Sometimes guests from around town would even show up uninvited. Or, simplyclick hereand here,to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! will be served along with the special Jamaican punch for non-alcoholic drinkers, and wine or champagne for the adults. Typically the bride and grooms families sent out wedding invitations to everyone in their home village. Explore the diversity of Jamaica with our guide to the best things to do in Jamaica. Revivalism is based on Christianity, but with an African twist the attitudes towards nature and spirituality are influenced by African religions, as is the style of worship. What Weddings Are Like In Different Parts Of The World - TheList.com So hopefully, the bridesmaids have quick hands. Turn Thanks DayThe first Sunday immediately following the wedding is called the Turn Thanks Day when the newly-wed couple accompanied by their godparents as well as the entire wedding party would go to the church where the wedding had taken place, and attend service.