Australian Wedding Traditions for Your Big Day
Incorporating some nuptial traditions on your special day is a wonderful way to customize your celebration. Universal in character, wedding customs exist in different parts of the world while signifying the values, and beliefs of a particular country.
Australia, just like any other place, also presents a collection of interesting wedding traditions that you could practice on your big day!
Australian Wedding Traditions that You Should Know About
Embedded in the country’s ancient perception of marriage, the Australian wedding traditions have been handed down through the generations.
Though some couples are breaking wedding traditions, there are still others who entertain the idea of incorporating the customs to their wedding.
Aside from personalizing your big day, integrating these traditions into your celebration is a brilliant chance to develop a deeper understanding of Australian culture. To start the discussion, scroll down and check the list of Australia’s treasured nuptial customs!
1. A Walk to Remember
In Western society, it is traditional for brides to be solely accompanied by their father while walking in the aisle. However, the societal beliefs of Australia encourage couples to ditch this patriarchal practice.
To commemorate a mother’s role during a wedding day, the bride is walked down the aisle with both of her parents. This gesture highlights not only the Australian wedding tradition but also says a lot about Australia as a whole!
2. Stone Ceremony
The Australian stone ceremony is an indigenous tradition that rooted in the ancient practices of the country’s early settlers.
Because they can’t afford to buy wedding rings, a couple would each cast a stone into the flowing river. This Australian stone ceremony signifies the newlyweds staying together as life flows up and down around them.
Who can resist the beauty of that symbolism?
3. Smoking Ceremony
An average Australian wedding doesn’t integrate this tradition anymore, but some parts of Australia continue to observe this ritual! Considered as an ancient Aboriginal practice, a smoking ceremony involves the burning of fertility herbs and healing plants to produce a cloud of fragrant smoke.
Fanned over the newly married couple, this smoke is believed to induce long life, fertility, and healthy children.
4. Unity Bowl
The unity bowl is a traditional (and heart-warming) way of Australian wedding blessing.
Family and close friends fill a bowl with rocks, and these represent their support for the couple’s marriage. Most of the time, the stones vary in colors to represent the different families and for specifics, they also have the names of whoever put them in a bowl.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds receive the unity bowl as a gift to remember the devotion and support of their loved ones.
5. Territorial Acknowledgement
The past, present, and future somehow meet during a traditional Australian wedding.
For instance, a territorial acknowledgement is practiced during a ceremony to honour the Aboriginal origins of the country. This tradition of acknowledging the past is believed to bring countless blessings and good fortune to the newlyweds’ future.
6. ‘Wedding Cake’
Let your guests eat cake by having Lamingtons in your celebration! Instead of having a gigantic saccharine creation, Australian wedding receptions usually serve Lamingtons as a tradition.
This is a vanilla sponge cake that is sliced into squares, coated in chocolate, and covered with coconut flakes.
7. Didgeridoo
Another tribute to the country’s Aboriginal origins, the didgeridoo is an age-old musical instrument that earned a special place in Australian celebrations.
Conventionally built with woods of eucalyptus tree, the didgeridoo produces smooth and deep sounds that are pleasing to the ears. It is perfect for serenading your guests while paying homage to the Australian ancestors!
8. Family Heirloom
Mostly practiced in religious backgrounds in Australia, the Bible is passed down to the next generations.
Considered as a family heirloom, a holy book is gifted by the groom’s family to the newly married couple. The couple is then responsible for reading and taking care of this special Bible until it is passed down to another set of newlyweds.
Conclusion:
Mostly historical in nature, the above customs represent the diversity of Australia’s multicultural population over the years.
Are you planning to incorporate any of these traditions in your wedding? Let us know the customs that appeal to you by commenting them below!
