Street Peeper Zimbabwe Street Peeper Bridal Issue 2017 | Page 20

Multi-Cultured
WEDDINGS
These couples prove that regardless of your
cultural or religious differences, it’s possible
to th row a wedding that equally represents
both of you. No matter where you're from or
what you believe in, weddings are always a
sacred event. So how do you combine two (or
even more) different cultures into one cele-
bratory union
gram explaining the various traditions, includ-
ing the blessing of the rings and a crowning
that symbolizes the couple's unity. As is cus-
tom in Colombia, Santiago's mother gave him
away at the altar.
Their Best Planning Advice: “Be proud of who
you are and where you come from, and don't
be afraid to mix different traditions into your
Their Backgrounds: Santiago was born in Bo- wedding day. In fact, your guests will probably
gota, Colombia, and moved to the US as a child. enjoy it more if they know your wedding is
“One of the many things I love about him is his going to be different then most they've been
love for his country and culture," Alexia says.
to."
She's Greek American—her father emigrated
from Greece—and was raised in the Greek
“A multicultural wedding is just the beginning
Orthodox church.
of a multicultural life together. It's the first of
many moments when you will fuse your cul-
How They Combined Cultures: “We knew from tures and build your own traditions. Try to
the start we wanted to showcase both of our
strike a balance and be open to what your
cultures," Alexia says. They wed in a Greek
partner wants, and look at every element to
Orthodox church in Atlanta and had a tradi-
see how you might incorporate the other cul-
tional Greek ceremony. Since most of it was
ture."
conducted in Greek, they gave guests a pro-