Cultural Fusion Ceremonies: A Gap In The Market?

If you are thinking about becoming a Celebrant, you might be wondering where the gaps are in the market. One area of Celebrancy still emerging is ‘cultural fusion ceremonies’ and could be a fascinating niche for you to explore. 

We were recently thrilled to learn more about ‘cultural fusion ceremonies’ from Rugie Wurie, a wedding planner who specialises in this area. It is becoming apparent that there’s a growing demand for this sort of ceremony, where two or more cultures come together in one space, and a ceremony is designed to fit the needs, traditions and preferences of those merging cultures. 

Why Now Is The Time For Cultural Fusion

Before we delve into the different ways you can create cultural fusion ceremonies, let’s discuss why it’s important now more than ever. 

Around 1 in 10 people in Britain is in an inter-ethnic relationship. That means there is a substantial number of couples who might be interested in celebrating more than one culture in a ceremony, should they choose to marry. Thanks to our evolving understanding and acceptance of inter-ethnic relationships, as well as globalisation and ease of meeting people from other walks of life, this number can only expect to grow. 

But interestingly, there are very few cultural fusion Celebrants out there. And this could be a fabulous opportunity to create a truly special type of ceremony for an underserved group. 

A Famous Case of Cultural Fusion

When we ask you to think of a culturally fused wedding ceremony, it won’t take long for you to remember the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markell. You’d be pressed to find anyone more British than Prince Harry, and it was always going to be the case that his culture and royal traditions would be upheld. But unlike royal weddings in history, this one was fused with African American culture to celebrate Megan. Elements of the wedding, such as her veil which contained Californian flower designs, and their choice of African American preacher and his quotes of Martin Luther King, shone through during the ceremony. This was more than a nod to her culture, but a celebration of it. 

Understanding and Respect for Both Cultures

The key to a successful fusion of cultures in a wedding ceremony is an understanding and respect for both cultures involved. Instead of creating a culturally traditional ceremony that celebrates only one half of the couple, the fusion allows for both parties, as well as their families and friends, to engage and feel part of the ceremony.

Some ways that you can accommodate this as a Celebrant are:

• Hold a bilingual ceremony with vow exchange in native languages, or with a translator present. The couple could also ensure the menu and invitations are also in both native languages. You might want to speak a couple of sentences in another language as a mark of respect to the couple.
• Incorporate culturally appropriate music and songs to make all guests feel welcome and celebrated. 
• Dress for the occasion! Instead of wearing your usual attire, ask the couple if you can dress in a way that fits their cultural themes. 
• Learn the greetings of the cultures, so that you meet and greet guests in a culturally appropriate manner. 
• Find ceremonial rituals from the cultures that can be incorporated into the vow exchange. 
• Use storytelling techniques to tell the story of the two cultures merging together. 

Prepare To Learn

Any couple will appreciate you taking the time and effort to learn about their culture and form a meaningful ceremony that celebrates it. Ask open questions, make no assumptions and bring creative ideas from your own learning to help guide them in their ceremony. 

If you would like to learn more about becoming a Celebrant, we have a comprehensive training course that covers weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies and much more. Woven throughout this course is ideas and teachings on cultural celebrations, meaning you can specialise in this niche if you wish to. Talk to us on 03333404434 to learn more.