Rhiannon Hendricks
The wedding industry has long been criticised for its lack of diversity and cultural inclusivity. Despite the increasing number of couples from diverse backgrounds choosing imaginative ways to celebrate their union, the industry often falls short of catering to their needs and preferences. This is particularly true for couples from ethnic minority backgrounds, who often face challenges when trying to incorporate their cultural traditions into their weddings. While the industry catering to traditional South Asian weddings is huge and well-established, some couples desire a fusion of different traditions, races, religions, and cultures. This has led to initiatives like the UK's first wedding show specifically celebrating diversity, which included workshops on menus, symbols, colours, and cultural integration. The financial incentives for the wedding industry to embrace diversity are significant, as the typical UK wedding costs around £30,000, encompassing a vast market of services.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding industry | Not diverse |
| Wedding magazines | Lack representation |
| Wedding shows | Lack representation |
| Wedding products | Lack diversity |
| Wedding services | Lack diversity |
| Wedding planning | Lack of resources for diverse weddings |
| Wedding traditions | Lack diversity |
| Wedding costs | £30,000 for a typical UK wedding |
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What You'll Learn
Wedding industry exclusion of people of colour
The wedding industry has long been criticized for its exclusion of people of colour. Despite the increasing number of couples opting for creative ways to celebrate their big day, the industry is still predominantly geared towards white couples, with marketing materials, magazines, and catwalk shows all predominantly featuring white couples and models. This lack of representation can be extremely disheartening for people of colour planning their weddings, as they are unable to see themselves reflected in the industry.
One area where this exclusion is particularly notable is in the bridal fashion industry. Wedding dresses, which are traditionally white, can be difficult to find for brides of colour, as the majority of designs and styles are catered towards white skin tones. This can make it challenging for brides of colour to find a dress that complements their complexion and makes them feel confident on their wedding day.
The issue extends beyond just the bride's dress, however. Couples of colour often want to incorporate their cultural traditions, religions, and races into their weddings, especially if they have faced discrimination or obstacles due to their mixed backgrounds. However, they often find that the wedding industry is not prepared to accommodate their requests, sticking instead to very traditional styles and themes. This can make it difficult for couples of colour to plan a wedding that truly reflects their unique backgrounds and cultures.
The financial implications of this exclusion are also significant. The average cost of a wedding in the UK is around £30,000, and if companies are failing to appeal to a diverse range of customers, they are missing out on a large segment of the market. There are strong ethical and financial reasons for the wedding industry to become more inclusive and diverse, ensuring that all couples can feel valued and respected as they plan their special day.
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Wedding traditions of different cultures
Wedding traditions vary across different cultures and communities. While some rituals are unique to specific cultures, others are shared across multiple cultures with slight variations. Here are some examples of wedding traditions from around the world:
Norwegian Weddings
Norwegian brides often wear a crown, usually an ornate diadem made of silver and gold, adorned with small charms. The movement of the bride causes the charms to create a tinkling sound, believed to ward off evil spirits.
French Weddings
In contemporary French ceremonies, the newlyweds often walk through a heart cut out of a white sheet. This tradition originates from small French villages, where children would obstruct the bride's path with white ribbons, symbolizing the bride overcoming challenges in married life.
Hawaiian Weddings
Hawaiian weddings incorporate the blowing of the pū, a conch shell horn, which has been a part of Hawaiian culture since ancient times. The officiant blows the pū at the start of the ceremony or after the couple's first kiss.
Turkish Weddings
On a Turkish groom's wedding day, his friends plant the country's flag in the ground at his home. They may also scatter objects like fruits, vegetables, and mirrors around the flagpole, indicating the start of the wedding ceremony.
Venezuelan Weddings
A Venezuelan wedding tradition suggests that the newlyweds sneak away from the reception without being noticed. If they succeed, it is believed to bring good fortune to both the couple and the person who realizes they are missing.
Scottish Weddings
Bagpipes play a central role in traditional Scottish weddings. Another unique tradition is the inclusion of a sixpence in the bride's shoe, as mentioned in the rhyme "something borrowed, something blue".
Indian Weddings
Although most weddings in India follow Hindu traditions, Jain, Sikh, and Muslim weddings are also prevalent. Many non-Hindu Indian weddings feature elements like mandaps and turmeric, albeit with different meanings and rituals from their Hindu counterparts.
Chinese Weddings
Traditional Chinese weddings are often preceded by a pre-arrangement between the families. The bridal parade to the groom's home is accompanied by musicians with gongs and double-reed instruments. Modern Chinese couples also often take "glamour shots" in photo studios, posing in multiple gowns and various backgrounds.
Nigerian Weddings
With over 371 tribes in Nigeria, wedding traditions vary widely. However, certain practices are common across most Nigerian weddings, such as traditional attire like aso-ebi and geli and the money spray during the reception.
Pakistani Weddings
Pakistani weddings are known for their grandeur and can last up to ten days. The doli or rukhsati ceremony involves the bride throwing rice over her head as she departs her family's home, symbolizing leaving her mother's nurturing and joining her husband's family.
These examples only scratch the surface of the diverse and fascinating wedding traditions found around the world. Each culture and community infuses its unique history, symbolism, and rituals into wedding celebrations, making them meaningful and memorable occasions.
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White wedding dress history
The white wedding dress is commonly credited to Queen Victoria, who wore a white court dress to her wedding with Prince Albert in 1840. Before Queen Victoria, royal brides wore a variety of colours, with red being one of the most popular choices. Debutantes had long been required to wear white court dresses and long white gloves for their first presentation at court, and Queen Victoria is thought to have chosen a white wedding dress to make a statement.
As accounts of Victoria's wedding spread, other European leaders followed suit. White dresses were hard to maintain and keep clean in the 19th century, so they were primarily chosen as a way to show that the bride's family was wealthy. The colour also took on new symbolism, signifying purity and innocence, in addition to wealth. The trend caught on, and Queen Victoria's wedding dress silhouette—the slim waist, the lace, and the full nineteenth-century skirt over petticoats and crinolines—is still considered the most recognisable "wedding" silhouette.
In the 20th century, the tradition also grew to include the practice of wearing the dress only once. As historian Vicky Howard writes, "if a bride wore white in the nineteenth century, it was acceptable and likely that she wore her gown again". Even Queen Victoria restyled her wedding dress for later use.
The portrayal of weddings in Hollywood, as well as the speed and ease with which people could see images of celebrity weddings, helped cement the notion that marriage demanded a white dress. In 1956, film footage and photographs of Grace Kelly in her wedding gown made from lace, silk, pearls, and tulle quickly made their way across the globe. More recently, Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen dress and Meghan Markle's dress by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy inspired copies overnight.
Nowadays, white is the preferred choice for brides in the West, while red is the more traditional colour for Eastern brides.
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Wedding guest attire
Now, let's discuss the various wedding dress codes to help you choose the perfect outfit as a wedding guest.
White-Tie Attire
White-tie is the most formal wedding dress code, indicating an elegant and formal event. For women, this means a formal floor-length evening gown, while men are expected to wear a tuxedo with tails, a formal white shirt, a vest, a bow tie, and formal footwear.
Black-Tie Attire
A step down from white-tie, black-tie dress codes usually indicate a formal evening event. Men can wear a tuxedo, and women can opt for a floor-length gown, a fancy cocktail dress, or a dressy pantsuit.
Black-Tie-Optional Attire
This dress code is a fusion between black-tie and formal fashion. Guests can choose to wear a tuxedo or a floor-length evening gown, or opt for a dark suit with dress pants and loafers, or a knee-length or midi cocktail dress.
Formal Attire
For a formal wedding, men can wear a jacket and tie or a traditional suit, and women can choose an elegant dress or a nice pantsuit. When in doubt, a dark, well-tailored suit or a floor-length formal dress are safe choices.
Cocktail Attire
Cocktail attire strikes a balance between elegant and comfortable. Guests have more flexibility with hemlines, colours, and patterns. A knee-length or midi dress or a trendy jumpsuit would be perfect for this dress code.
Semi-Formal Attire
Semi-formal weddings can be ambiguous, but they are usually less formal than black-tie events. Men can wear a dark suit with a white shirt and a conservative tie, while women can opt for a dress that shows their ankles or a knee-length cocktail dress.
Creative Themes
Some couples may request creative themes like "whimsical garden party" or "tropical formal". In these cases, guests should interpret the theme as they see fit while considering the location and time of day.
Remember, the most important tip is to know yourself as a guest and dress accordingly. When in doubt, it's always safer to opt for a more formal outfit.
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Wedding rituals
One way to address this issue is to incorporate rituals and traditions from both cultures when two people from different backgrounds marry. For example, a couple could choose to wear outfits that reflect their respective heritages, such as a traditional Nigerian dress or a Pakistani wedding outfit. This approach can help legitimise the union, especially if the couple has faced discrimination or lack of approval from family members due to their mixed-race relationship.
Another aspect of wedding rituals is the colour white, which has been popular for wedding dresses in Western cultures since Queen Victoria's marriage to Prince Albert in 1840. The white dress is often seen as a symbol of status and "innocence and virginal purity." While it is generally considered a fashion faux pas for guests to wear white to a wedding, there are some exceptions. For instance, if the couple specifically requests that guests wear white or if the guest's dress has a print that includes white but is not predominantly white.
To conclude, wedding rituals can be a powerful way to honour one's culture and heritage. By embracing diversity and incorporating meaningful traditions, couples can create a unique celebration that reflects their backgrounds. While the wedding industry has been criticised for its lack of representation, there are steps that couples can take to ensure their special day is inclusive and respectful.
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Frequently asked questions
It is generally considered a fashion faux pas to wear white to a wedding. However, there are exceptions, such as when the couple specifically requests that guests wear white. It is also acceptable if the dress is not bridal-looking, i.e., it doesn't have a white base with a coloured pattern, and is not floor-length or full-skirted.
A white wedding is a traditional formal or semi-formal wedding originating in Great Britain. The term comes from the white colour of the wedding dress, popularised by Queen Victoria in 1840. It usually involves musicians, flowers, decorations, and clothes for the wedding party, including bridesmaids and groomsmen.
While the term "white wedding" refers to the colour of the bride's dress, the phrase "are weddings too white?" also refers to the lack of diversity in the wedding industry. Couples from diverse backgrounds may struggle to find ways to reflect their cultures and traditions in their weddings due to the industry's focus on white weddings. This can include magazines, brochures, portfolios, catwalk shows, and wedding shows that predominantly feature white brides and fail to cater to diverse skin tones.
