Just as the people of the Caribbean share a rich history influenced by multiple cultures, Caribbean wedding rituals are a mosaic of Mayan, Christian, and African traditions.  Consider these customs:

Invitations: Family members are not usually issued formal wedding invitations and are invited to the event via word-of-mouth, while other guests are sent paper invitations.  Caribbean tradition states that no guest can be turned away, so sometimes people will stop by the wedding even if they are not invited!

Banns: In the Virgin Islands, couples post wedding banns—documents stating the couple’s intention to marry—on the three successive Sundays before the wedding. 

Attire: The bride and bridesmaids’ dresses are not purchased at a store.  Instead, the dresses are made by a local seamstress, who often carries the bride’s train as she walks down the aisle. 

The Ceremony: There is no best man at a Caribbean wedding, although there may be a maid of honor known as a “chief.”  The bride is traditionally escorted down the aisle by both parents. 

Reception Food: Local dishes served at the reception include conch fritters, a version of jambalaya, shrimp, goat, lamb kabobs, fried pork, rice, and plantains.  The guests may be served beverages such as ginger beer and rum punch. 

The Bridal Doll: In Puerto Rican weddings, a small doll dressed in clothing identical to that of the bride is placed at the main table with souvenirs attached to its dress.  During the reception, the bride and groom walk around the room and thank each guest for attending the wedding by giving them a souvenir from the doll.  Some guests then pin a dollar to the bride’s dress, to help pay for the cost of the reception. 

The Wedding Cake: In Bermuda, the wedding cake is topped with a tiny tree, which the couple then plants after the wedding to symbolize the start of their life together.  In Jamaica, the wedding cake is a dark fruitcake soaked in rum.  When the reception is over, guests mail pieces of the cake to guests who were unable to attend the event.  In the West Indies, the cake is hidden from the guests via a white tablecloth, and guests must pay to take a peek at the cake.  The cake is often made from the recipe passed down by the bride’s mother, and it is usually a pound cake—a pastry that calls for a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of butter, and a pound of various dried fruits and nuts, as well as a dozen eggs and other flavorings.

Wedding Gifts: Caribbean guests often present the bride and groom with traditional gifts of handmade quilts and furniture. 

Sources: WeddingChannel.com, IslandBrides.com