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A Cultural Difference: American Weddings versus Hispanic Weddings It is very important to understand that each culture has the traditions of its own. While the Americans are individualists, the Hispanics belong to a collectivist culture. No wonder these differences find their reflection in cultural traditions of the nations, thus making the traditions between the two cultures so different. The research paper compares and contrasts the cultural differences between the American culture and the Hispanic culture taking into consideration specific details on the different traditions each culture has in areas such as: the proposal, the marriage ceremonies, the reception styles, to mention a few. The Americans traditionally belong to the individualistic culture. No wonder that traditional American wedding tends to be more and more individualistic and unique.
In contrast to Americans, the Hispanic wedding is more traditional. Latin Americans continue incorporating Latino wedding traditions that spring from the original Latin American culture. Along with other amazing customs, Latin American wedding traditions are passed to future generations. From time immemorial, Spain had great impact on development of Latin American language and culture. Nowadays Latin American marriage traditions continue to reflect this influence in contemporary marriage rites. In contrast to the American wedding, godparents play a crucial role in Hispanic weddings.
This fact can be explained by the unique compadrazgo (co parenthood) system that was historically popular in Latin American countries in the capacity of the extended family support network (Bautista n. p. ). This custom takes its origin from the times when the earliest Latin American settlers spent their lives far away from their native Spanish relatives and had to find non-related guardians for their children when the parents were unable to raise or educate them appropriately. This practice supports the fact that the people of Spanish descent have strong community identity. So, in contrast to the American traditional wedding ceremony, the Hispanic wedding rite foresees selecting pairings (godparents sponsors) who have to support groom and bride during their nuptial festivities and to guide them through their married life.
Although the Americans also have godparents, their role is not as important due to individualistic American culture. As far as the United States is the country of immigrants, it has many cultural traditions take from many cultures and countries (mainly European). The American weddings are not arranged, while the Latin American weddings are sometimes arranged by the parents of the couple due to economic or other reasons (for example, to strengthen family business) (Bautista 64). In contrast to it, the typical American wedding is based on love, while the Hispanic wedding may take place between two people, whose parents made an agreement well in advance.
The typical American wedding implies two people who have found a partner they consider they can share the life with, both in sorrow and happiness. Therefore, the typical American wedding implies freedom of choice and supposes true love. The wedding proposal is also different for the American and the Hispanic cultures. The traditional American proposal implies asking the brides father to get his blessing.
However, in contrast to the Hispanic culture, where the family ties are of primary importance, the blessing in the United States is asked more as a courtesy than for an actual blessing (United States Wedding 2007). In Latin American culture the brides fathers blessing is required. In contrast to the Hispanics, the Americans tend to hire a professional wedding planner as far as the typical American wedding is an elaborate and a fairly large affair. The Hispanics tend to rely on their relatives help. Before the American wedding occurs, it is traditional for the Maid of Honor to throw a bridal shower as part of the bridal ceremonies (United States Wedding 2007). As far as the official language of the United States is English, the traditional American ceremony is conducted in English, while the Latin American wedding ceremony is usually bilingual.
As far as Latin Americans are pious, the traditional Latin American ceremony requires the ceremony to be held in a religious setting (Summary 62). Although the Americans, in their majority, also believe in God, the wedding also occurs in a religious setting; however, it is not mandatory. The traditional American wedding ceremony is performed by a specially invited religious leader. Similar to the Hispanic marriage ceremony, the typical American ceremony includes wedding vows. However, in case the Latin American marriage implies p rewritten traditional wedding vows (Collier 114), the major part of Americans prefers writing wedding vows themselves in order to make the ceremony more unique and memorable. At the end of the traditional American wedding ceremony, the religious leader asks if any person present is informed of anything that may prevent the couple from getting married.
In case the response is negative, the official offers the couple to exchange their wedding rings as a token of their commitment and love. Then the couple is pronounced to be wife and husband in front of their families and friends (witnesses) (United States Wedding 2007). Then the newly married couple kisses to seal their union (United States Wedding 2007). When the couple leaves the church, the invited guests shower them with wheat or rice (the symbols of fertility and well fare).
Similar to them, the Latin American ceremony foresees such showers with several differences. The ceremony includes a veil ceremony that symbolizes Gods protection, el last (a cord) ceremony that symbolizes that Hispanic marriage is for life, and las arras (a coin) ceremony that symbolizes sharing of worldly goods. As far as Latin Americans belong to a collectivist culture, their wedding implies a noisy caravan from the ceremony to the reception (Bautista n. p. ).
Both cultures prefer memorable and populous wedding celebrations; however, the Latin American wedding is more national, with its traditional folk dances, Mariachis, Latino music, and fiesta of traditionally Latino foods including bizcochitos (Bautista n. p. ). What concerns gifts, the Americans prefer making a wish-list to allow well-wishers to not only purchase gifts that are truly useful to the new couple, but to also be assured that no one else has purchased the same gift (United States Wedding 2007). In contrast to them, the Hispanic weddings are not as much organized and individualistic as the American ones. In summary it may be said that different cultures have the traditions of their own. The American nation traditionally is individualistic, while the people of Hispanic descent are more collectivist.
These differences find its reflection in cultural traditions and rites, such as wedding traditions. In case the Hispanics prefer active participation of godparents, traditional wedding ceremony, cultural dresses, Latino music and Latino foods, along with traditionally Latin celebrations and destinations for the honeymoon, the Americans try to make their marriages unique. This difference also can be explained by the fact that the United States was originally inhabited by numerous immigrants with their own customs and traditions. These numerous traditions, stirred in the melting pot have contributed to acknowledging a wide diversity of ceremonies and traditions. Works Cited Bautista, Edna. Viva el amor The Latino Wedding Planner, A Practical Guide for Arranging a Traditional Ceremony and a Fabulous Fiesta.
Fireside, 2001. Collier, Jane Fishburne. Contemporary Latin American Culture. New Orleans: Middle American Research Institute, Tulane University, 1968. Summary, Polly. "A Marriage of Old & New: A Traditional Ceremony in El Rate.
New Mexico Magazine. " New Mexico Magazine 62 (April 1984): 62. United States Wedding. 25 June 2007 < web >. Vigil, Mauricio E. The Hispanics of New Mexico: Essays on History and Culture. Bristol, Indiana, U. S.
A. : Wyndham Hall Press, 1985.
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Research essay sample on A Cultural Difference American Weddings Versus Hispanic
