Friday, July 24, 2009

Cross-cultural weddings

"My wedding is going to be the first that's in only one language," my sister Emily observed the other day.

She may be right. Last year we were trying out our French in Congo at Nate's wedding. Yesterday, a "Bienvenidos" sign was posted in our kitchen yesterday to welcome Anastasia's groom's family, primarily from Bolivia and Colombia (though not first-generation).

I didn't feel any cultural differences as we gathered...although we were the hosts, so who knows how our guests were feeling? It was a fairly casual cookout, with a tent to provide some additional seating. The kids ran around with bubbles, or tiptoed into other parts of the house and claimed that they had seen "monsters."

+/-

Nastia was very insistent upon putting details of the schedule (including reception) into the wedding program. I didn't think it was necessary and she really wanted everyone to know what was going on...that the ceremony would be 45 min; that the reception would include toasts and the cutting of the cake; etc. I tried to explain that it was standard and people didn't put it in writing. But then I thought about how until she was 15 she lived in Russia, and her groom's family may not follow the typical "American" traditions. So Nastia really wants to get it right.

We'll see what happens...

1 comment:

  1. I think that is very sweet....Nastia wanting to be so organized. It sounds like a very lovely wedding.

    So...seems like one of you needs to have a wedding in Russian and English. I'm voting for you. :)

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