Jumping the Broom?

Knottie79829663 · June 2014

I really don't want to jump the broom at my wedding, is it even necessary? My fiancée's family wants us to do it but I honestly don't see what the point of it is. I'm not saying i'm not up for compromising but its my day!

What are your thoughts?

Jen4948 · June 2014

I take it you and/or your FI come from an African-American background where this is a tradition?

I might have this wrong, but I've read that "jumping the broom" was how slaves were married in the US South prior to the end of slavery.

artbyallie · June 2014

It shouldn't matter what your partner's family thinks, but what you and your spouse-to-be think. Does your fiancé(e) (the second e indicates feminine gender, one is masculine--I'm not sure if you're marrying a woman or if you had a typo, so I'm going with neutral pronouns for now) want to jump the broom? If so, you do need to respect that wish, but if it's just his/her family, then he/she needs to tell them, "We're not going to be doing that. Have you tried the bean dip?"

CMGragain · June 2014

This slave days' custom was revived when Alex Haley's Roots became wildly popular. If you don't like it, don't do it. Tell your relatives, "Free at last!"

jdluvr06 · June 2014

I've honestly never seen someone do this in person. If you don't want to do it and if your FI doesn't want to do it then don't do it.

Ndelible · June 2014

We are doing it, just as a nod to the past when we couldn't get married. My son and his daughter will hold it for us. I'm not telling my sister that we're doing it, cause I know she'll be tickled pink.

MyNameIsNot · June 2014

Traditions are always optional. It doesn't matter what families think. If you and your FI agree not to do it, don't do it.

If he/she wants to do it and you don't, discuss and compromise.

nancieraven · June 2014

I'm not doing it and it's probably the ONLY thing I'll go to the mat on. The connection to slave heritage is tenuous at best and certainly bears 0 reflection on our future as neither of us is a slave, there is nothing prohibited about our marriage and I'm certainly not using broom jumping techniques to determine how our household will be run. (see wikipedia)

southernbelle0915 · June 2014

Others have outlined where this custom comes from and if you don't want to do it, don't do it. People will tell you 6 million things you "should" do at your wedding. This is totally up to you and your FI.

Marzipan13 · June 2014

If your fiancé's family wants you to do it and you're not sure what the point of it is, ask them! Maybe learning the history behind the tradition will make it more appealing to you. If it doesn't... don't do it. I'm not trying to convince you either way; but as a rule, if you don't know something, you should learn about it before flat-out saying "no" to it.

Jumping the Broom?

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