Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from

jaycee7389

I was reading a post on E about a 'doe and stag' and how it is a wedding fundraiser each couple has thrown for them once they are engaged. Does anyone have wedding customs or traditions where they're from that most other people don't have?

Elle1036

The money dance is really common in my area. I'm still not doing it, though. Cake pulls are also really common here.

bethsmiles

Ummm...well there is a lot of poor wedding etiquette where I com from but I don't think I'd say any of it tradition or custom.

jaycee7389

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:e0d1f89c-3e0a-48f7-b0f5-fba4448c9213">Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]The money dance is really common in my area. I'm still not doing it, though. <strong>Cake pulls are also really common here.</strong>
Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

Never heard of it. What are they?

And to answer my own question: the only custom I can think of is that we do 'cookie tables' in Pittsburgh. All of the aunts/women in the family usually bake a few dozens <strong>EACH</strong> of different types of cookies and they are displayed at the reception. It's not a favor, just an extra dessert for the guest. We had one at my shower because the wedding was too far away.

audrewuh

In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from:[QUOTE]The money dance is really common in my area. I'm still not doing it, though.

Cake pulls are also really common here. Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

Yea, what's a cake pull? And by my area, do you mean Mississippi?

I know in my circle of employment, inviting people to the ceremony only isn't a big deal at all.

audrewuh

Jaycee, that cookie thing sounds delish!

Elle1036

In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from:[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from:

Yea, what's a cake pull? And by my area, do you mean Mississippi?

I know in my circle of employment, inviting people to the ceremony only isn't a big deal at all. Posted by audrewuh[/QUOTE]

My "by area" I really just meant the South. Cake pulls might be more concentrated in Louisiana, though.

Basically, a bunch of little charms are attached to ribbons and then baked into the cake. Then at the reception, girls who are close with the bride each grab a ribbon and pull out a charm.
Each charm has a different meaning. It's pretty cute.

Beads921

Yep, Stag & Does are the norm where I'm from. People have been nagging about when ours is since the day we got engaged (it's almost as big a deal as the wedding to some people). We don't care to have one, but FI's Mom is insistent, so it looks like we will have one regardless. It's usually planned by the wedding party with the help of the bride & groom's families, and it's basically an excuse for everyone (literally...everyone, not just those invited to the wedding) to get hammered (you rent a hall, sell tickets, sell drinks, have raffles, have games [that cost money], etc). It's Klassy with a capital K. Some couples/families are having Jack & Jills now instead, which is more of an afternoon party with games and pie raffles and things like that. It's still a fundraiser, but it's less of a piss up.

Other than that, we don't have any other unique traditions (that I know of). I actually had no idea Stag & Does were a regional thing until I came on TK.

motoLyn

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:2606c62a-d41e-4d11-8485-3b9db548f7eb">Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from : Never heard of it. What are they?
Posted by jaycee7389[/QUOTE]

<a href="http://www.mycharmedlife.com/t-cakepulls.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.mycharmedlife.com/t-cakepulls.aspx</a>

Nothing in Cali that I know of that's different or special from the rest of the country, all I have is a Vietnamese tea ceremony where the groom brings trays covered in a red silk scarf as offerings to the brides family to show how wealthy he is, I jokingly think of it as my dowry.  Hahahah....

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:437e964e-77af-47ab-a419-98ff32fe87ac">Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]Um, that cookie thing sounds amazing!! I don't know if it's attributable to my small town, or more just my extended family, but family members get annoyed if registry information is not included with a shower invite.  Tsk, tsk, I'm sure.
Posted by polo1425[/QUOTE]
It is actually ok to include registry information in a shower invite. The point of the shower is to give gifts, so it is not a no-no. On the actual wedding invite is a whole other story. <div>
</div><div>The money dance is something that was common in upstate NY. Other than that, I can't think of anything too odd. </div>

Peaseblossom55

Wow the idea of a cake pull sounds so cute!  I never heard of that before.

radleyboo

Not sure if this is regional or not, but in my family and circle of friends at the Bridal Showers we use the ribbons and bows from the packages to make a fake bouquet to use at the rehearsal.  Usually we glue or tape them to a paper plate, then the Bride and MOH carry them.  It's cute! 

Elle1036

Boo, we do that, too. My MoH did a spectacular job on my ribbon bouquet.

mymissingpuzzlepiece

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:3151aba0-df46-4d15-b60a-62380bb97510">Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from: My "by area" I really just meant the South. Cake pulls might be more concentrated in Louisiana, though. Basically, a bunch of little charms are attached to ribbons and then baked into the cake. Then at the reception, girls who are close with the bride each grab a ribbon and pull out a charm. Each charm has a different meaning. It's pretty cute.
Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

<div>This is actually really cute.</div>

Peaseblossom55

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:f43f977d-f084-486a-81a4-5b56a68cf64e">Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]Not sure if this is regional or not, but in my family and circle of friends at the Bridal Showers we use the ribbons and bows from the packages to make a fake bouquet to use at the rehearsal.  Usually we glue or tape them to a paper plate, then the Bride and MOH carry them.  It's cute! 
Posted by radleyboo[/QUOTE]
This is done by me too, we create a bouquet for the bride from the ribbons and bows from the shower.  Usually the bride will use that for the rehearsal for the ceremony.

radleyboo

Years ago I dated a guy who was from Latvia.  When a baby girl is born into a Latvian family, a certain plant or herb is planted in the family garden, and when she gets married, leaves from the plant are sewn into her veil.  I can't recall what the plant was, but it was a neat tradition and it's a beautiful culture. 

kaitlynmichelle

Stag and Does or Jack and Jills are also really common from where I grew up.  I never knew it wasn't the usual custom everywhere, but I've never liked it.  I've never gone to one.  I always get invites to them, but never to the wedding.  Sorry, no, I'm not going to help pay for your wedding that I won't even be invited to.

I really like the sound of the Latvian tradition.  I'll try to ask my friend about it, her dad is from Latvia.

Edit: That wasn't meant to sound like I disagree with anyone on here having one.  I just don't like the idea and don't want to participate in them.  

PhotoDerby

Definitely cookie table and dollar dances. I'm not a dollar dance fan, but I love cookie tables. On average, I only get 5 weddings per season that don't have them, and I get so sad. I have become a cookie connoisseur.

I am loving some of the other traditions. Between Philly and Pittsburgh there aren't that many differences in traditions, so I don't get the pleasure of experiencing too many new, cute things. I'd love the cake pull thing, and the Latvian tradition.

prbright

Dollar Dances are really big around here. My brother and his FI are doing one at their wedding in August and my parent's really want FI and I to do one.

 I honestly have no problem with it. I don't know if we will do it or not but honestly when a wedding has one I don't go "OMG Etiquette fail!" I could care less either way.

jaycee7389

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:3151aba0-df46-4d15-b60a-62380bb97510">Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from: My "by area" I really just meant the South. Cake pulls might be more concentrated in Louisiana, though. Basically, a bunch of little charms are attached to ribbons and then baked into the cake. Then at the reception, girls who are close with the bride each grab a ribbon and pull out a charm. Each charm has a different meaning. It's pretty cute.
Posted by Elle1036[/QUOTE]

That is really cute, I never heard of anything like that!

Elle1036

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:fbaf2171-9630-4631-9af4-d9ac907a572e">Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from : That is really cute, I never heard of anything like that!
Posted by jaycee7389[/QUOTE]

I had never heard of it until college, and then almost every wedding I've been to since has had one.  I think it must be a Cajun thing.

I would do one myself if I felt like I had enough female friends.

wrigleyville

I thought I read somewhere that the "cake pull" is an old, Victorian tradition. I could be wrong, though. I think it's really cute, and I'd rather do that than a bouquet toss.

The Dollar Dance is super popular around here because it's a Polish (and other Eastern European) tradition. I refuse to do it at my wedding. I don't care if others do, and I've seen a lot of people have fun with it. It's just not my cup of tea.

leia1979

We just have a variety of cultural traditions here. I'd say 50% of the weddings I've been to have had Chinese banquets rather than a western reception. I went to a Vietnamese wedding that had a banquet plus dancing.

ravenray

Dollar dances are super popular around here.  Other then that we don't have anything fun

kellyt89

The cake pull sounds really sweet and I love the Latvian tradition, that's beautiful.

We do the bow-bouqet thing in NJ too. I wouldn't say this is an area tradition, but every wedding I've been to has been pretty huge - like 200+ people and very elaborate. It's definitely a "keeping up with the Joneses'" thing in my extended family...blech

jaycee7389

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:ae0e2407-1fd3-4e5c-a43c-9e1f69067689">Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]The cake pull sounds really sweet and I love the Latvian tradition, that's beautiful. We do the bow-bouqet thing in NJ too. I wouldn't say this is an area tradition, but every wedding I've been to has been pretty huge - like 200+ people and very elaborate.<strong> It's definitely a "keeping up with the Joneses'" thing in my extended family...blech</strong>
Posted by kellyt89[/QUOTE]

It's not necessarily that way in my family, but around here in general that seems to be how it is. Everyone is entitled to doing what works for them, but spending more than I paid for my condo on a wedding is hard to understand.

kellyt89

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:0fa5549d-b6a0-46a3-a8f0-e476275a9f6c">Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from : It's not necessarily that way in my family, but around here in general that seems to be how it is. <strong>Everyone is entitled to doing what works for them, but spending more than I paid for my condo on a wedding is hard to understand.</strong>
Posted by jaycee7389[/QUOTE]

<div>I agree. I've been to a bunch of different weddings over the past few years and have just as much fun at the smaller or "cheaper" ones as the ones that cost upwards of $35,000. Even the ones that were sort of tacky were still fun, lol.</div>

jaycee7389

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_weird-or-different-wedding-customstraditions-where-youre-from?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:46f11de2-7365-4192-9f25-363660fc03efPost:d4dd62ce-69f0-4063-8d13-2c9d8f406a19">Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Weird or different wedding customs/traditions where you're from : I agree. I've been to a bunch of different weddings over the past few years and have just as much fun at the smaller or "cheaper" ones as the ones that cost upwards of $35,000. Even the ones that were sort of tacky were still fun, lol.
Posted by kellyt89[/QUOTE]

I was thinking of a lot more than that, sadly. Two of them are already divorced, too. What a waste of money!

RWS2011

Jaycee, I can't imagine spending so much on a single day, no matter how "big" or "important" it is supposed to be.  Everyone has to set their own priorities, I guess.

Wrigleyville, The cake pull did originate from a Victorian tradition as far as I know also.  It seems like a sweet tradition.

Many of the weddings I have been to have been nontraditional.  There weren't any unusual traditions, just skipping many of the traditions you typically see at weddings.  

NurseyK

We left out the dollar dance and didn't have an engagement party of any sort. I kind of wish we had had an engagement party, however, neither of us has friends who that kind of time/money to organize it.