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5 Authentic Jamaican Wedding Traditions

There are few celebrations as inviting and uplifting as a traditional Jamaican wedding! Rich, Caribbean culture at its finest, Jamaican traditions spice up the festivities, add a new respect for cake, and keep the party going until dawn.

If you’re looking to throw a Jamaican wedding, here are the ultimate wedding traditions you should know about and incorporate.

1. A Sacred Cake

When you think of a wedding, the cake seems like the cherry on top of your dream event. Jamaican weddings take that idea even further by giving the cake a progression of its own.

Jamaican wedding cakes are beautiful, tropical, and full of spice. Rum is a flavorful, traditional Jamaican addition to any wedding cake. The cake is soaked for weeks in rum for moisture and flavor. Rum, after all, is a staple of the Caribbean.

Attendees in a procession bring in the cake under a veil to keep it hidden until the time to cut. Wedding flowers and foliage are typically incorporated to brighten up the procession and invite nature in.

2. Family and Community

The Jamaican community is about support and “one love.” Family and the available community join with the wedding couple to witness and celebrate their love and the beginning of a married life together.

Instead of mailed invites, it is a community invitation by way of open doors at the ceremony site welcoming friends, family, and the community to attend.

3. Curried Goat

The food for any wedding indicates the heart and soul of the couple’s culture. Guests get a taste of the islands with traditional tropical dishes featuring pineapples and coconut and customary proteins like jerk chicken.

Curried goat, though, is a special Jamaican tradition that carries over from generations of local use. Typically, the wedding couple picks out their own goat to be prepared for the wedding.

The meat is customarily stewed for hours beforehand so that guests are served the richest, most flavorful curried goat possible.

4. Backyard Celebrations

While the actual ceremony may be performed in a church or chapel, the festivities are usually taken somewhere more familiar. It’s very common for receptions to take place in a backyard, creating memories in a casual venue.

Traditionally, the backyard reception (in the groom’s backyard) is held in a marquee built by members of the reception. The groom observes the marquee being built and is forbidden from participating in the structure’s construction.

5. All-Night Festivities

When it comes to partying, a Jamaican wedding takes things up a notch with open invitations and long bouts of dancing. It’s very common (and a usual tradition) that the reception goes on until the break of dawn.

Guests are encouraged to stay the night–even those of the community. Togetherness is the idea here and it creates a strong camaraderie among friends, family, and unfamiliar guests alike.

Resources for a Truly Memorable Wedding

Wedding traditions are rooted in culture and represent the couples upbringing well. Guests, whether a part of the culture or not, can experience a rich celebration full of tradition that inspires and uplifts.

Isn’t that how every wedding should be?

If you’re looking for tips, tricks or resources for making your wedding the most memorable for you and your guests, we’ve got just the place!

Check out Wedding Details for insightful articles and tips on traditions and celebrations.

Wedding Details is your comprehensive guide to all aspects of your wedding. From traditional ceremonies to questions regarding the guests, our website offers you one place to do all your research.