Traditions & Rituals of Weddings in a Southern State
Perhaps you're dreaming of a wedding that evokes your childhood memories of Georgia. Or maybe you just want to feel like Scarlett O'Hara on your wedding day. Either way, we’ll show you how to plan a wedding that's full of Southern charm and grace.
The great outdoors.
Natural beauty is one of the South's greatest assets. Take advantage of what is has to offer by holding your wedding outdoors. Spring comes early to many areas in the South, but the temperature can get very hot in the summer—especially in states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana—so be sure to do some research about the climate before you set a date. Plantations, country clubs, and churches provide great outdoor venues and often allow you to hold part of the wedding indoors (or move the party inside if the weather changes suddenly!).
If you live outside the region but want the wedding to have a Southern feel, you could hold an outdoor ceremony with lots of flowers and decorations that remind you of home. Playing country music or having live musicians can help create a Southern atmosphere. If your parents (or your fiancé’s) married in the South, ask them if they played any traditional songs at their wedding to get ideas for the reception.
Marrying in the South is also a great way to have a destination wedding without leaving the United States. Just make sure to provide out of town guests with hotel ideas and lists of local attractions and museums.
Southern comfort.
No Southern wedding is complete without regional cuisine. Crab cakes, shrimp and grits, collard greens, and other classic dishes can all imbue your wedding with charm. Fresh lemonade and mint juleps are good choices for traditional drinks. For a more modern event, you could dress up these old favorites with an unexpected twist. Wrap your shrimp in pancetta or serve an unusual vegetable dish, such as fried green tomatoes. Or provide dishes that reflect your heritage from a particular part of the South, such as Cajun, Creole, or Low Country cuisine. For a more casual wedding, you could create a cozy Southern atmosphere by serving your food family style or by offering a buffet.
Just remember that if many of your guests are unaccustomed to Southern food, you should have a few familiar dishes on hand to appease any finicky eaters. The same advice also applies if children will be attending the wedding.
South by southwest.
Maybe you grew up in Charleston, but your future husband is a staunch New Englander. Or maybe you are a native Californian, but your fiancé wants to return to Georgia for the ceremony. Either way, take steps to ensure that the non-Southern half of your pair doesn’t feel lost or out of place. If you are serving a largely Southern menu, include a few dishes from the other person’s ancestral cuisine as well. Gift bags are also a great opportunity to merge your two backgrounds. Include items that are unique to the South, such as copies of a regional magazine and delicacies from local stores, in addition to objects that recall the other person’s roots. Non-perishable treats shipped in from a favorite bakery, or trinkets from a special shop are good options.