Lots of good southern food, a religious ceremony held at the local church, outdoor children friendly reception, games are played for both kids and adults, home made ice cream and wedding punch is offered, etc.
I’m not from the south, but I would think very romantic “Gone with the Wind”-esque. Have it at a large old plantation house, with beautiful gardens. Some sort of southern style cooking. A very ornate, romantic wedding gown. Women carrying parasols perhaps.
I thin probably the ceremony…Southern Baptist, etc. Probably the clothing. Formal, but not too formal. Also the food. On the Food Network a year or so ago Paul Deen did a show on her wedding and the reception was held outside and the food was more down home….not so stuffy.
BIG. Southern weddings to me are big and fun. The dresses are bigger, the decorations are bigger. Not to the point of being tacky… but “less is more” definitely is not an option.
I think you might have some Yanks anwering your question from what I’ve seen above. I’m marrying a northern boy and I’m a southern girl so here are the major diffs. I’ve found out between the two:
***The type of food. South normally has buffet style while North has sit down. North usually serves the gourmet or italian while south serves more casual food.
***Grooms Cake. Just a fun thing where you can go wild apart from the usual white cake. It is more often chocolate but it can be anything. My Yank groom is so excited to have one but not a cake guy so he’s getting a pie tower
****Clothing. I’ve only been to one black tie wedding in the south. I’ve been to 6 in the north.
****Location. Usually church weddings followed by indoor reception. Its just really freaking hot outside
Wow are some of these answers cliche. I was born and raised in South Carolina and let me tell you, people here are really no different than people anywhere else. No one wears big hats to weddings in the south anymore, nor do they wear big foofy “Gone With the Wind” dresses with corsets and big puffy sleeves. I’ve never been to a wedding that looked like that. Most I’ve been to have taken place in a church, but from the statistics on weddings I’ve seen, so do most weddings in other parts of the country. From what I understand, Groom’s cakes are more common here. Women also get married a little younger than the national average. I just turned 23, and I will get married next year shortly after my 24th birthday. Most of my friends who are engaged or married are about my age. There were even a few girls who married before our college graduation in my class. However, none of those were so called “shotgun weddings”. All were girls whose fiances had already graduated and had successful careers. To me, the only thing that specifically makes a wedding more southern in the manner of a southern belle is the attitude. Southern belles are gracious, we mind our manners, we are considerate of our guests and our families, and we throw parties with southern style and flair. (Yes, as one poster said, there will most likely be sweet tea.) I’ve never seen pound cake for wedding cake. The number of dry weddings to weddings with alcohol has been about equal. The food has perhaps been a little different. For instance, the only wedding I’ve been to where steak was served was up north. Here, chicken is a wedding food staple. Also, people bring actual boxed gifts to weddings in the south. From what I understand, cards with money are more common up north. There are usually more parties leading up to the wedding here as well. Most girls I know have had at least 2 wedding showers thrown by different friends, coworkers, or family. All in all, I don’t think it would be possible to pin down just one or two things that make a wedding “southern”. Its more of an atmosphere than something concrete really.
tehusky 513 had a great explanation. I just want to add a few little things.
Your invitations should be hand written with a fountain pen not a ball point pen. There should be no abreviations on the envelope and on the inner envelope only family and very, very close family friends have their first names written.
I have seen many wedding cakes that are pound cake. They are cooked in the same pans, iced/frosted and decorated just like regular wedding cake. Pound cake is heavy and cuts well into thin slices and thin slices are what are proper. (and southerners are all about being proper) I went to a wedding once where the cake was all white but the cake was chocolate pound cake. It was beautiful and delicious. Pound cake also freezes well so that’s important if you’re planning to freeze the top layer.
Buffet style foods that can be eaten without much trouble are the norm. Finger sandwiches, meatballs, tart shells filled with chicken salad, shrimp, cheese straws, veggies and dip. The food depends on what time of day you are having your wedding. For a good example of southern wedding reception foods go to http://www.raleighcatering.com
This is the company that did a reception for Martha Stewart when she came to Cary, NC to promote her new housing thing. And before anybody asks no I don’t work for them or anything else. I have attended events they have catered though.
Lots of good southern food, a religious ceremony held at the local church, outdoor children friendly reception, games are played for both kids and adults, home made ice cream and wedding punch is offered, etc.
Good luck
Big dresses, big hats, magnolias….
I’m not from the south, but I would think very romantic “Gone with the Wind”-esque. Have it at a large old plantation house, with beautiful gardens. Some sort of southern style cooking. A very ornate, romantic wedding gown. Women carrying parasols perhaps.
Southern food, lots of friends and family, Southern lovin and a wedding in a church. That screams Southern to me.
I thin probably the ceremony…Southern Baptist, etc. Probably the clothing. Formal, but not too formal. Also the food. On the Food Network a year or so ago Paul Deen did a show on her wedding and the reception was held outside and the food was more down home….not so stuffy.
Make sure to have pound cake for the wedding cake, and don’t forget a groom’s cake.
Serve punch, not an open bar. Southern food, casual atmosphere, friend, family and children. Frilly dresses. Church ceremony, outdoor reception.
BIG. Southern weddings to me are big and fun. The dresses are bigger, the decorations are bigger. Not to the point of being tacky… but “less is more” definitely is not an option.
Make sure to have some sweet tea
I think you might have some Yanks anwering your question from what I’ve seen above. I’m marrying a northern boy and I’m a southern girl so here are the major diffs. I’ve found out between the two:
***The type of food. South normally has buffet style while North has sit down. North usually serves the gourmet or italian while south serves more casual food.
***Grooms Cake. Just a fun thing where you can go wild apart from the usual white cake. It is more often chocolate but it can be anything. My Yank groom is so excited to have one but not a cake guy so he’s getting a pie tower
****Clothing. I’ve only been to one black tie wedding in the south. I’ve been to 6 in the north.
****Location. Usually church weddings followed by indoor reception. Its just really freaking hot outside
Wow are some of these answers cliche. I was born and raised in South Carolina and let me tell you, people here are really no different than people anywhere else. No one wears big hats to weddings in the south anymore, nor do they wear big foofy “Gone With the Wind” dresses with corsets and big puffy sleeves. I’ve never been to a wedding that looked like that. Most I’ve been to have taken place in a church, but from the statistics on weddings I’ve seen, so do most weddings in other parts of the country. From what I understand, Groom’s cakes are more common here. Women also get married a little younger than the national average. I just turned 23, and I will get married next year shortly after my 24th birthday. Most of my friends who are engaged or married are about my age. There were even a few girls who married before our college graduation in my class. However, none of those were so called “shotgun weddings”. All were girls whose fiances had already graduated and had successful careers. To me, the only thing that specifically makes a wedding more southern in the manner of a southern belle is the attitude. Southern belles are gracious, we mind our manners, we are considerate of our guests and our families, and we throw parties with southern style and flair. (Yes, as one poster said, there will most likely be sweet tea.) I’ve never seen pound cake for wedding cake. The number of dry weddings to weddings with alcohol has been about equal. The food has perhaps been a little different. For instance, the only wedding I’ve been to where steak was served was up north. Here, chicken is a wedding food staple. Also, people bring actual boxed gifts to weddings in the south. From what I understand, cards with money are more common up north. There are usually more parties leading up to the wedding here as well. Most girls I know have had at least 2 wedding showers thrown by different friends, coworkers, or family. All in all, I don’t think it would be possible to pin down just one or two things that make a wedding “southern”. Its more of an atmosphere than something concrete really.
tehusky 513 had a great explanation. I just want to add a few little things.
Your invitations should be hand written with a fountain pen not a ball point pen. There should be no abreviations on the envelope and on the inner envelope only family and very, very close family friends have their first names written.
I have seen many wedding cakes that are pound cake. They are cooked in the same pans, iced/frosted and decorated just like regular wedding cake. Pound cake is heavy and cuts well into thin slices and thin slices are what are proper. (and southerners are all about being proper) I went to a wedding once where the cake was all white but the cake was chocolate pound cake. It was beautiful and delicious. Pound cake also freezes well so that’s important if you’re planning to freeze the top layer.
Buffet style foods that can be eaten without much trouble are the norm. Finger sandwiches, meatballs, tart shells filled with chicken salad, shrimp, cheese straws, veggies and dip. The food depends on what time of day you are having your wedding. For a good example of southern wedding reception foods go to http://www.raleighcatering.com
This is the company that did a reception for Martha Stewart when she came to Cary, NC to promote her new housing thing. And before anybody asks no I don’t work for them or anything else. I have attended events they have catered though.
I hope this helps.
frankly my dear, I don’t give a damb