Bicultural Reception Guide

Photo by Allegra's Studio

Here comes the fun part! Now that the serious stuff is over, it's time to have fun celebrating your different cultures. From the menu to the music, combining your backgrounds at your reception is guaranteed to make your wedding unforgettable.

Serve some ethnic eats

If you're doing a buffet, include different food stations that reflect your backgrounds (for example, a dim sum station and a Jamaican grill). For a sit-down dinner, consider splitting the courses between two types of cuisine. If that's too dramatic, then opt for different hors d'oeuvres, such as pierogies with dipping sauce as well as skewered shrimp and vegetable tempura.

Mix up your music

Include songs that are traditional to your religion or culture. Think Bhangra or even Bollywood tunes to highlight an Indian heritage, reggae (or even Rihanna!) for the Caribbean, and, if one of you is Jewish, you've just got to do the horah.

Divvy up the details

So many decor details go into the reception, and these make for great places to play up your cultural themes. Bring in a culturally inspired pattern -- like a mehndi- or sari-inspired motif, a design taken from the stained glass at your church, or Chinese characters from the bride's qipao -- on all of the details, from the escort cards to the napkin rings to the favors.

Let them eat cake...or kransakaka

Whether you're from Japan, Ireland, the West Indies, or somewhere in between, practically every country has its own popular dessert. All it takes is a little research and an old family recipe. A local baker may be able to whip up a global specialty for you, or ask your caterer if they can make it work. Something like a croquembouche is bound to be a major conversation-starter.

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