17 May Five ways Southern weddings differ from California weddings
Recently, I had the honor of attending a friend’s wedding in Mississippi as a guest. It was my first trip to the South and I stress the word “guest” because as a member of the wedding industry, I’m commonly recruited to work someone’s wedding rather than simply enjoying it . With almost all of my wedding knowledge and experience gained from planning weddings in the West Coast, I found out it interesting and fun to see the differences in styles between weddings in each region. Although I only attended this one wedding in Mississippi, here is what I learned from my experience and education of others:
1. Bow ties aren’t trendy, they’re tradition: Although most of us in California find it fun and quirky to wear bow ties for different functions, many people in the South consider it the norm and commonplace for gentlemen to wear.
2. Hiring a band rather than a DJ is the norm: With the South being the birthplace of music genres like blues and jazz, people embrace the richness and cultural significance of live music and diversity in regional music styles.
3. Ceremonies are almost always at a church: Religion plays a significant role for many people in the South, so wedding ceremonies are almost always conducted in a church.
4. Guests were even asked to sing a hymn during the ceremony I attended.Receptions are mainly cocktail-style, with very few opting for a formal, sit down and plated dinner.
5. Family and friends say toasts for the happy couple at the rehearsal dinner, and keep the reception for partying!
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