Tag Archives: wedding custom

Double Happiness Red Paper- Chinese Wedding Tradition

Age: 54

Text:
Informant: “When people get married, friends and relatives help prepare for the wedding. They cut out the double happiness character, ‘双喜 (shuāngxǐ),’ using scissors. It means double happiness. They cut the character out of red paper, it has to be red paper. The character is 喜 (xǐ) for happiness, and the wedding version combines two of them to make double happiness. People only do this for weddings, they make both small and big ones and place them everywhere in the house of the bride and the groom, like entry doors, windows, gates, the bed board, and furniture.”

Context:

The informant is from China and and explained that this practice of cutting the 双喜 out of red paper is widely performed in China and considered a cultural tradition and blessing associated specifically with marriage. The informant also shared that they personally participated in this custom when they got married and when their friends and family married.

Analysis:

Wedding decorations like the double happiness character (双喜) are a form of customary folklore tied to an important life transition. Weddings mark the beginning of a new stage of life, and symbolic objects are often used to express hopes for the couple’s future. The repetition of the character for happiness represents the union of two people and the wish for joy and prosperity in their marriage.

The decoration also has elements of material folklore, since the character is physically created by cutting it out of red paper. In modern times, people tend to buy the paper pre-cut, but there are still people who cut it by hand. The process of preparing and displaying these decorations is often done collectively by family members and friends, which reinforces the communal nature of wedding celebrations and an overall community emphasis in China. Placing the symbol throughout the home not only signals to others that a wedding is taking place, but also symbolically invites happiness and good fortune into the new household.

‘Spraying’ Money on the Bride

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At Nigerian weddings, especially among Yoruba and Igbo families, there’s a tradition called “spraying” where guests throw or place money on the bride and groom as they dance. My friend described it as a moment where the music is playing loudly, and everyone crowds the dance floor to celebrate the couple. People use small bills, often $1s or $5s, and place them gently on the bride’s head or shoulders while she dances. Sometimes the groom gets sprayed too, but it’s more focused on the bride. Someone is usually assigned to pick up the money and keep it safe. The mood is exciting, and the spraying is seen as a way of showing love, joy, and support.

Context:

I interviewed my friend who is Nigerian-American and has attended several Nigerian weddings, both in the U.S. and in Nigeria. She said she first saw money-spraying as a kid at her cousin’s wedding and thought it looked like “a fun way to make it rain.” But now that she’s older, she sees it as something deeper. She said, “It’s not just about the money … it’s our way of saying we’re proud of you, we’re happy for you, and we’re blessing your marriage.” She also mentioned that it brings people together, elders, friends, everyone joins in. Even if someone doesn’t have much money, they’ll still spray a little just to be part of the celebration.

Interpretation:

This tradition showcases the communal nature of weddings in Nigerian culture. It’s not just about two individuals getting married, but about the whole community showing up to support them. Spraying money is a public display of care and pride, and it helps preserve cultural practices even for Nigerians living abroad. In the U.S., continuing this tradition at weddings creates a sense of connection to home and heritage. It also flips the usual Western expectation of giving money privately in a card. Here, it’s done out loud, in front of everyone, as part of the celebration itself. This reflects a cultural value of openness and generosity

The Sea Snake Dance

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: Before I moved to the United States I attended a wedding in Mexico city, where I was born, and witnessed The Sea Snake Dance for the first time. A song, La Vibora de la Mar, began to play. Simultaneously, all the adults began clinging together and forming a large circle. I wasn’t allowed to join the circle as my mom said it was unsafe for me. The bride and groom stood on opposing tables and reached out one arm towards the other. Then, the human snake ran under their arms and sung the song.

Context: Informant describes first seeing this Hispanic wedding tradition when they were a young child still living in Mexico City. They described their time in the United States, where they have spent the majority of their life, and claim that they have only seen The Sea Snake Dance performed at a select few hispanic weddings. Informant believes this tradition is performed as a gift from the attendees of the wedding, wishing the newly weds a joyous and faithful marriage. The snake, to the informant, is representative of the potential struggles the newly married will face.

Analysis:

I believe this tradition to be rather fascinating, especially its lack of presence in the American- Hispanic wedding scene. The informant, who is now a marriage officiant who primarily serves the Hispanic community, describes not seeing many examples of the Sea Snake Dance in the United States. The few times they have seen it performed, they expressed being shocked. This, to me, is very representative of the changing beliefs that are produced when two cultures fuse. With the population of Mexico being mainly Roman Catholic, marriage holds a very prominent role in their society. In the United States, however, marriage has become less and less meaningful as divorce rates continue to rise. This is likely why the informant does not witness many replications of the wedding ritual that is so common to Hispanic culture. This lacking of reproduction is representative of folk- traditions ability to change in a parallel fashion to those who perform it.

Elopement Vows

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired Federal Officer
Residence: Henderson, Nevada
Language: English

Text: When I decided to get married to my, now, ex-husband we decided to have a small wedding. So small that the only people present were him, the priest, and myself. Although their were no guests, we still prepared our Vows for one- another and spoke then when directed to. It was a beautiful ceremony, all that I had hoped for, and keeping our vows between each other deepened our connection.

Context: Informant describes the decision behind why they decided to have an elopement. Due to clashing cultures, that of a Hispanic woman and of a Kashmiri man, the informant was nervous of the traditions that would have to take place at such a diverse wedding. Because of this, the informant decided the wedding should be held with only a priest present. Informant understands that this choice was rather unorthodox, but discusses her need for traditions of a wedding, such as the exchange of vows, still being present. To the informant, this shows that weddings do not need to follow all customs and traditions that are culturally approved, but the ones a couple sees fit.

Analysis: I think this piece is elegant in its way of explaining how folk- tradition, such as weddings, is an event that can undergo changes based on those who are performing it. It portrays how folk traditions remain resilient through variation. This specific examples does not relay the story of those who reject traditional wedding practices, but adapted them to fit their own personal needs. In doing so, it became clear that folklore is an always changing genre that accommodates the needs of a changing society.

Jordan Almond Wedding Favor

Text:

There’s an Italian wedding custom where, as a wedding favor, a couple will place five candied almonds (called Jordan almonds) into a net mesh or piece of lace, tie it up with a bow, and put a tag on them with information about the wedding. The almond net will often be placed inside of something, such as a ceramic angel, a champagne glass, or a ceramic high heel shoe.
Each almond is supposed to have an individual meaning- representing five blessings of health, wealth, fertility, happiness, and longevity for the couple.

Context:

The informant is Roman Catholic, and grew up in the United States. She was exposed to the practice when she was younger and went to the weddings of her Italian family members, where these almonds were offered as party favors.

Analysis:

A common interpretation I’ve seen as to why Jordan almonds are given out at weddings is because they are shaped like eggs, and thus represent fertility. Their taste is also supposed to represent the state of married life, with the delicate balance of bitter and sweet reminding the couple how life can be a balance of both. Either way, this seems to be a form of homeopathic magic- attempting to bring about a desired result by mimicking said result through the ritual. In this case, the desired result is to either have a good balance of bitter and sweet moments in one’s life, or to have a fertile and bountiful marriage. There might be some symbolism in the objects the almonds are placed in as well, those being the shoe, champagne glass, and angel. The high heeled shoe and champagne glass can both be interpreted as representations of the “celebration” at the wedding and a part of the bride, while the angel is more comparable to the Christian aspect of Italian marriage customs. These objects, representing the liminal space that is the wedding ceremony itself, literally carry the blessings (the almonds) that the married couple will receive once this space is crossed.