Thanksgiving Special: American Weddings vs British Weddings
It’s always fascinating to us, as we feature real marriages all over the globe, to see how the little differences (and the big ones!) can be so different. Different countries and cultures have different ways of celebrating marriage.
There are many differences between the UK and Ireland, even though they are both close to each other.
It’s tomorrow, Thanksgiving, so let’s investigate more. Meghan Fay of Extraordinary Days has offered to assist. (We featured her beautiful work last year. Check it out.
Who better than a US wedding planner living in the UK to help us understand the differences between US and UK weddings?
What are the differences between US and UK weddings?
I am an American wedding planner based in London and often help couples plan fusion weddings between British and American cultures.
With the growth of international wedding blogs and the trend of personalizing weddings, more and more American wedding traditions are being adopted in the UK. In this context, I’ve summed up all the differences between American weddings and British ones!
Celebrate your wedding before it happens.
I learned from living in the UK that Americans are unique when it comes to their love for celebrations.
There is no holiday too small for you to decorate or create a guest list! Is it surprising that a wedding really is a whole year of celebrations?
Bridal Showers
A bridal shower is a luncheon for women that takes place a few months before the wedding. The bride will be “showered” with gifts, and there will also be games played.
The bachelor and bachelorette party follows. The bachelor and bachelorette parties are similar or the same as stag and the hen dos that you would find in the UK, but they have different names.
Rehearsal Dinners
There is almost always an ‘additional dinner’ in the US the night before a wedding.
The rehearsal dinner is traditionally a meal where those who played a part in the wedding ceremony have a rehearsal of the wedding and then a dinner.
Although this traditional format is still often used, the rehearsal dinner today may be simply a pre-wedding party.
The Ceremony
The US and UK have subtle differences.
The Groom
Do you imagine the moment when your groom sees you walk down the aisle as a bride? These moments are different in every country.
In Britain, it is customary for the groom to face away from the bride. He will only look at her once she has reached him at the Altar.
Have you noticed that Prince William and Princess Catherine have stuck to the tradition?
The order in which the processional is performed also differs. In the UK, traditionally, bridesmaids follow the bride behind her to straighten the train.
Many UK brides have adopted the US practice of having the bridesmaids go before the bride, which creates excitement for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
After everyone has walked down the aisle in the US, the bridal party will typically sit with the bride and the groom. In the UK, the bridal party will stand.
The order in which the processional is performed also differs. In the UK, traditionally, bridesmaids follow the bride behind her to straighten the train.
Many UK brides have adopted the US practice of having the bridesmaids go before the bride, which creates excitement for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
After everyone has walked down the aisle in the US, the bridal party will typically sit with the bride and the groom. In the UK, the bridal party will stand.
The order in which the processional is performed also differs. In the UK, traditionally, bridesmaids follow the bride behind her to straighten the train.
Many UK brides have adopted the US practice of having the bridesmaids go before the bride, which creates excitement for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
After everyone has walked down the aisle in the US, the bridal party will typically sit with the bride and the groom. In the UK, the bridal party will stand.
The order in which the processional is performed also differs. In the UK, traditionally, bridesmaids follow the bride behind her to straighten the train.
Many UK brides have adopted the US practice of having the bridesmaids go before the bride, which creates excitement for the bride as she walks down the aisle.
After everyone has walked down the aisle in the US, the bridal party will typically sit with the bride and the groom. In the UK, the bridal party will stand.
In the US, flower girls and ring bearers are both traditional. The ring bearers will carry the wedding rings on a cushion down the aisle, and the flower girls will throw petals in the hall before the bride enters.
Flower girls in the UK carry more often pomanders or posies. Page boys walk down the aisle with the bride and groom.
