If you are searching for unique traditions to create a meaningful ceremony, you might consider broom jumping. Many couples are choosing to jump over the broomstick to incorporate important customs and rituals into their wedding day. Why are couples bringing this culturally rich tradition into their ceremony? Let’s follow this ritual back to its roots and discover all the reasons.
What is Broom Jumping?
Broom jumping involves an elaborately decorated broom that usually matches the wedding colors and theme. It is about 36” in length and wrapped with a floral arrangement and embellished with pearls or another ornament. Each broom will look a little differently and be decorated uniquely, depending on the culture, theme and wedding colors. The broom jumping ceremony begins with the officiant providing an explanation of its significance and symbolism, which explains that leaping over the broom together represents entering a new life together. They might deliver a speech about its place in history and culture. Regardless of the words spoken, broom jumping leaves behind the past and seals the couple's future as husband and wife. The bride and groom hold hands as they make a meaningful leap over the broomstick.
History of Broom Jumping
Broom jumping dates back to the 1700s in Wales at a time when the marriages of gypsies were not accepted by the church. The ritual was known as a besom wedding, named after the besom broom. It became a popular trend and marriage right in Scotland and England in the 1800s. Broom jumping is also deeply rooted in West African culture. The Asante people waved brooms over couples to remove evil spirits and sweep away the past for a new beginning. At the end of the ceremony, the couple would jump over the broom into a new life together. Broom jumping became popular in the United States during tragic times of slavery, when marriages were not recognized or allowed in court. In the absence of an officiant to conduct a legal ceremony, the broom became a symbol of jumping into a new life as husband and wife. While the symbolism can represent a painful time in history for some cultures, which should never be taken lightly, it has become part of traditions that can hold more meaning than a civil marriage for many. For this reason, couples are choosing to incorporate a broom jumping ceremony into their weddings.
The Significance of Broom Jumping
Broom jumping is entwined with different cultures in history, and holds significance for couples for different reasons. For many, this ritual is about heritage and respect to ancestors in Wales, Scotland, England, Africa and America. In history, broom jumping is a tradition that seals a marriage with importance beyond the recognition of church and state. Many couples today hold the same ideals to be true. Adding broom jumping to the nuptials can create a deeper meaning. For some, broom jumping is a method of creating a union when a legal marriage is not possible. This tradition has become part of modern ceremonies for many reasons, which are equally important.
Commitment Ceremonies
Commitment ceremonies are a popular trend, whether personal choice or for legal and financial reasons. This type of ceremony searches for ways to make it meaningful and add significance to the occasion. Broom jumping is essentially a ritual that signifies the creation of a marital bond without the legal formalities. It is seen as a way to make the marriage real beyond the recognition of a court, which makes it an important part of commitment ceremonies.
Broom Jumping at Your Wedding Venue
Regardless of your reasons for making broom jumping part of your ceremony, it will be a special and personal way to symbolize the joining in matrimony. Celebrate your unique customs and create a meaningful broom jumping ceremony at Crystal Ballroom Rock Hill. Transform the ceremony space and ballroom into a wedding from fantasy. The all-inclusive concept bundles the venue, services and décor into an affordable package. Host your dream ceremony and reception at this elegant wedding venue that is designed by your imagination and the professional in-house design team. Bring imagination and create a fairy tale at Crystal Ballroom Rock Hill.
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