How are you incorporating your/FI's culture

BentleyBaby

into your wedding?

No matter which specific culture you come from, I think it'd be awesome to hear all of the ideas.
AND get a little more activity up in here.

BentleyBaby

FI is Cuban & I am Korean. While both of us are "Americanized," our cultures are still very important to us. So we wanted to incorporate them into our wedding.
We are using Korean wedding ducks for our cake topper. My brother bought them for us when he was studying abroad in Korea this past summer. I love them.
We are also combining our cultures on our table numbers for the reception. They are pictures that I photoshopped to be faded & then I typed a big # on them with the equivalents in Spanish and Korean. For example, table 1 has a large "1" but then in the corners randomly are "uno" and "ha na"

charlayne

My FI is Japanese and I am Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino.  We are also americanized and were both both in the US.  Since I associate more with the Thai culture, I am going to be doing a modified Thai water blessing ceremony after our official ceremony.  We will kneel or sit while people poor water over our hands and wish us well (elders going first).  I love that I can incorporate this, especially for my side of the family.  My FI doesn't really care about incorporating any Japanese traditions, but I might add some paper cranes to the favors or the table settings... we are definately going to add some Thai and Japanese influenced food.

http://web.me.com/bcsakamoto/Brian%26Charlayne/Welcome.html

soprannaUSF

Well, the fiance and I both love the Japanese culture. Between my Shamisen lessons, our kimono business, and everything inbetween, we're having some touches without it screaming "Typical Japanese-ish Wedding Attempt". For example:

Attire- I  am wearing a red wedding underkimono (kakeshita) that has....ume on it. In May. But darn it, we can't push the wedding up that far, and ume is my favorite blossom. I'm only wearing it for the ceremony and some of the pictures. The rest of the time i'm wearing my wedding gown solo. This look doesn't look right with every gown though. Sometimes combining kimono with western fashion can backfire, but sometimes it's absolutely smokin'!

Table Decor- I'm making table runners out of a bolt of kimono fabric. I figure the five sergers and sewing machines currently in the  house need a workout. Plus the fabric is very chic- It's doesn't scream kimono. It's a bold looking dark red and black fabric that was not meant for a particularly valuable or rare kimono (I wouldn't be able to do that, anyways!).

Flower Arrangements are....inspired by ikebana, and in season (hey, gotta make up for the bridal attire somehow heh) but again, no "Ohayo! I'm gonna plop $19 at Walmart Orchid Plant Here".  Dark colors, low arrangements, three points and subtle. Cherry Blossoms are a no-no. I do think they are very pretty and I respect them as the National Flower of Japan. However, everyone uses them. Everyone. For me, I'd prefer something diferent.

Ceremony Music- I am toying with the idea of the Wedding March on Koto.  Perhaps we'll even do the sake ceremony and all- we both like drinkin- er, the ceremony idea. A lot. Yesssss..... er, anyways, but as for the rest of the music I have no idea. Carmelldansen is bannned from the wedding, though.


For favors, I haven't even asked the fiance about this yet- we have bigger fish to fry on our wedding agenda such as the WHERE and HOW. But, if he's cool with it, I'm thinking of teaching an old favor a new trick by making little origami boxes and placing a note thanking the guests, some candy or...something and a card that says a donation has been made to brain cancer research. Both his mother and my father passed away of it. I dunno, just an idea.

The rest of the wedding is a mix of Italian, German, and Russian influences. 

BentleyBaby

I think those are all awesome ideas. I love cultural weddings- no matter what culture it is. It's great to hear what everyone is doing.
I've thought about wearing a traditional hanbok for the reception but I'm so in love with my wedding dress that I don't know if I'll want to NOT wear it. haha!

soprannaUSF

aaaaaaaaaaah I LOVE HANBOK!!!!!! They are so pretty.

PDXMartha

apparently we're not inviting his family as, according to my FMIL, they can only receive one invitation.  we're getting married where I grew up and are having a Chinese reception in our current hometown (where he grew up).

Ok, seriously, is the only one invitation thing true?  I can't believe we're not supposed to invite his family to our wedding b/c they are also invited to the second reception!  we already know they won't attend due to distance, but we still want them to know we want them there!

WillandTiana

My FI is filipino and I am white.  While we are not doing anything particular culture-wise for the wedding, for the rehearsal dinner we will be having traditional filipino food with all of his family.  I am in the process of learning tagalog though so when we have kids they will speak it.  

lindseysilva2009

Hi, my FI is Korean-American and I am Bolivian/Mexican-American. I'm still trying to figure out how to incorporate both cultures. Tentative plans are to have Korean and South American food for the reception. I am learning Korean so that I can talk with the halmonees, but my writing is bettern than my speaking. We are also doing the paebaek ceremony and I have my wedding hanbok.  Does anyone know of other Korean traditions?