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Jamaica Local Customs
Weddings are a very important event in Jamaican culture. Wedding ceremonies are large, extravagant celebrations in which many friends and family members participate. Although many old-time Jamaican wedding customs have disappeared, there are still a few that have stood the test of time.
Wedding Customs in Jamaican Villages
While today’s Jamaican couples mostly rely on wedding planners and coordinators to organize their wedding ceremonies, in the past it was the responsibility of the members of the village or community in which the couple lived. Literally the entire community or village was involved in the ceremony. To prepare for the ceremony, villagers cooked large amounts of food and baked many cakes. One unique Jamaican wedding tradition consisted of married women wearing white dresses and head ties carrying the cakes to the ceremony location on the wedding day. It was customary for everyone to remain silent during this procession and the cakes were covered with lace so the bride could not see them until after the ceremony.
Traditionally, prior to a wedding ceremony, villagers played games, ate large quantities of food, and partied until daybreak. Then they would go and get themselves ready to attend the ceremony, which was typically held in the morning. Food that is commonly served at Jamaican weddings to this day is curried goat and rice. The goat is usually killed and cooked on the day before the wedding ceremony. Rum punch is almost always served as are champagne, wine, and spirits. Jamaican wedding cakes are very dark and are sometimes soaked for up to a year in rum so that the fruits and cake are flavorful and moist. Jamaican wedding cakes are rich pound cakes that contain fruits like prunes, cherries, raisins, and currants.
In traditional Jamaican culture, the wedding reception was held in a shelter constructed out of coconut boughs and decorated with tropical flowers. The shelter was built at the groom’s home. Jamaican wedding receptions usually started with the cutting of the cake and then there was a toast to the bride and groom, eating, singing, games, and dancing. The reception usually lasted until the afternoon. The Sunday after the wedding, everyone went to church together and then attended a second reception at the bride’s parents’ home, where more food and cake were served. At the second reception, the top layer of cake was given to the minister while the second layer of cake was given to the bride and groom.
The wedding guests played traditional games at the second reception, such as when they bid on the bride and groom. The bride would collect the money after the bidding was over. Quadrille was a common dance at old-time wedding receptions in Jamaica. The musical accompaniment included banjo, fife, and guitar. Dancing typically took place at the end of the reception. Guests gave the newlyweds gifts at the second reception. Following the festivities, the newlyweds went to rest for a week in their new home. During this time they were excused from working in the field and would receive food and advice from their visiting family members.
Although most of these local wedding customs are no longer practiced in Jamaica, the Jamaican people look upon them with fondness. Destination wedding couples in Jamaica who want to add a special, local touch to their ceremony may not be able to do everything mentioned here but they can include some of these traditions in their ceremony and reception as a way to pay respects to the local culture. You can serve a traditional rum cake, hire a live Jamaican folk band, or organize a cake procession as was custom in old-time Jamaican weddings. These wedding customs are easy to incorporate and can make for a unique destination wedding experience.
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