13 Incredibly Louisiana Things You’ll Find at Every Wedding
In Louisiana, our culture dictates that we celebrate every day. So, when we get a day to celebrate that includes a wedding, it’s an especially joyous occasion. Okay, maybe some of us aren’t so thrilled at the aspect of putting on our church clothes and heading out into the summer heat but most of the time, the reception is worth the dry-cleaning bill.
As weddings go, the service is usually pretty predictable. There will be the staunch traditionalist that demands to be seated on the bride’s side. After all, she is the reason that almost all of the guests are attending. As for the groom, most of the people he feels close enough to invite are actually serving alongside him at the wedding, so most grooms are happy to let you sit anywhere.
During the course of the service, you can count on something comical happening. Actually, it’s not that funny but because “we’re in church” it’s hard to stifle the laughter when someone lights the wrong candle or trips on the ring bearer.
The kids in the service provide their own bits of drama as well. You never know if they are going to be off-the-wall cheek pinching cute. Or, if they are going to be so scared, they disrupt the entire ceremony by being, well a child.
The person in charge of the service, the priest, the pastor, the disc-jockey who paid a fee online to be able to marry people will offer something amusing, controversial, unintelligible, or not in keeping with the couple’s wishes and the assembled congregation will gasp.
The couple will repeat their vows, a groomsman might pass out, and mothers and fathers will cry. Then finally we reach the part of the ceremony that everyone has been waiting for. Namely, kiss the bride and let’s get on to the reception.
At the reception is where you’ll meet most of the groom’s friends. The reception has booze and dancing. The ceremony did not. So, you can see why one might be a little more popular with the less-than-traditional crowd. But the reception is really what sets Louisiana apart from the rest of the country. Now I am not saying other places and other states don’t have their traditions but in Louisiana, we got ours and I bet they don’t translate too well to other countries like Arkansas and Alabama.
Don’t believe me? Well, let’s just take a look.