Weddings in the Caribbean islands occasionally borrow from American wedding traditions, but for the most part, they carry a distinct flavor all their own. For this reason, countless couples come to the Caribbean islands from all corners of the globe to be married. The exceptional blend of European and African cultures on the islands lends to some incredibly distinctive traditions that typically are not seen elsewhere. The traditions differ amongst the distinct islands, but most of them revolve about the very same basic features. Any couple journeying from other countries to be married in the Caribbean must be prepared to participate in Caribbean traditions.
Traditionally, Caribbean Wedding invitations are sent by word-of-mouth, and only a few very special guests actually receive written invitations. Yet, the weddings are not as formal as in other cultures and just about any individual who shows up is welcome to join in the celebration, even if they had been not invited. It is frequent for the bride and groom to each dress in their finest clothing and walk from a single of their houses to the church as absolutely everyone from the area lines up along the street to view and comment on their apparel, communicating no matter whether they approve or disapprove. As the couple begins their walk to the church, the priest will ring the church bell to announce the wedding to the entire village.
Considerably like American tradition, the father of the bride, or oftentimes each parents, escort the veiled bride down the aisle. The groom does not have a finest man, despite the fact that at times the bride will have a maid of honor. Considering that the major religion of the Caribbean islands is Roman Catholicism, the ceremony consists of elements of Catholic, Mayan, and African culture. At the end of the ceremony, the groom will lift the veil of his new wife and kiss her when the crowd looks on and celebrates.
Caribbean Wedding receptions sometimes final by way of the whole night, though guests drink rum punch and ginger beer and dance to the steel-drum island music. The night is filled with toasts to good health and happiness. Any man who is lucky enough to dance with the bride pins money to her dress in order to aid with the expenditures of the honeymoon. The bride and groom receive a multitude of gifts, quite a few of which are hand-made, such as quilts or furniture. It is also a custom for the bride and groom to bestow a favor on each guest so that they might normally keep in mind the joyous occasion.
The food at a Caribbean Wedding consists of standard Caribbean food like curried goat and fried plantains. The wedding cake, however, is the center of attention at the wedding reception. It is named "Black Cake" and it is a pound cake recipe handed down by the ladies of every generation and improved upon to suit every recipient's tastes. "Black Cake" is composed mainly of flour, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and fruit. All of the fruit is soaked in a rum-filled crock pot for anywhere from a few weeks to a year, and the cake is served with a challenging rum sauce topping. On some islands, the wedding cake is topped with a tree sapling so that the couple may possibly plant the tree at their new household.
After the wedding and reception are over, the newly married couple will ordinarily devote a week alone in a house that the groom's family members has provided for them. Alternatively, the couple may also spend a week on one other island for their honeymoon.
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