First People's Day Wedding Ideas and Tips

This year I was able to experience the  First People's Day in Arima, the home of the Amerindians of Trinidad and Tobago. They are the first people to inhabit our island and many of their customs, language and styles are still present today.







It was really an awesome experience to be a part of this day that commemorated the first settlers in our beloved TNT. Many persons came out to celebrate and observe the day with the rituals and ceremonies re-enacted by the families of the great ancestors that keep this tradition alive.
Traditional Amerindian male and female clothing was worn by the first people in the official ceremony and gala event, on the one off given holiday on Friday 13th Oct 2017, commemorating and marking their place in the country's history

One of these traditions that was observed at Santa Rosa, the home of the First People, the smoke ceremony. The smoke ceremony is for spiritual offerings and victories when a birth occurs or to bid farewell to the dead, among other other rituals.  This was then followed by the ceremonial walk through the streets where small excerpts of other rituals and dances were observed. The official gala was not very long but was informative and gave a good sense of the culture of the first people and their customs which was rich and exceptionally interesting for me because this is something I always read about in books growing up and it was actually exciting to witness this story in reality a few feet away from me. Absolutely mind blowing.

THEME

Experiencing this culture also gave me the context and much background needed in order to assist clients and couples wanting to use this particular culture as a theme in a wedding.  The first real tip is that the colour scheme is of a natural hue of browns cream some green with accent red and yellow. This can be seen from the colors displayed in their clothing. The red and yellow will be found in the feathers they wore in their hair as accessories and to form part of their clothing.




WEDDING DRESS



The wedding dress is a big one that could be the traditional dress with a hint of the natural colours and woven threads similar to the weaves on the original ancestors clothing. The dress can a many different styles to suit your shape, however it must have the traits and feel of the First People in order to reflect the theme properly, especially if traditional wear is not being used and just going to be reflected on a traditional bride dress. There are stunning ideas online for these concepts to come alive or call us for advice so we can assist as needed.

INVITATIONS

Of course we also have to take the invitations into consideration, and a burlap, threaded, natural look will do nicely in this theme. Giving that natural earthly feel to the wedding theme while keeping within the colours and concepts. A traditional bead totem or otherwise can be added to the invitation to seal it, giving guests a sneak peek of what's to follow. There are lot of colours to work with that can add some flare to the invitation without overshadowing the natural look. A good idea is to chat with your printer and art designers and they can surely assist or at least give more ideas as it relates to colour combinations and making your fantasy a reality.

CATERING

Traditional Amerindian food came from the crops they grew such as corn. A significant part of their diet consisted of corn and cassava that was mostly grown. These were prepared in different ways for consumption. Along with fish and whatever was hunted for consumption. So when preparing your food for your wedding, be sure to remember that ground provision and corn were a main part of the traditional food of the First people.

WEDDING CAKE

The wedding cake can take a natural look in colouring but takes some tradition into the design such as feathers or some aspect of the tradition and culture that stands out. Such a cake would make a statement and add to the theme and concept, achieving the desired outcome.

DECOR

Another aspect you may want to consider which is major is the decor if your wedding based on this theme. Yup the big one. Once you keep your colours and use aspects that tie the First people into your wedding such as in your centrepieces and tokens etc, it should be a success. Make use of the artifacts so guests get the feel upon entry as your guests must have an experience from your wedding as well.





Traditional music can be used at some point in the day to create the ambiance of the entire setting. Use of the traditional music instruments such as the flute, can be used in the cocktail hour of otherwise so the guests can get the full experience of the theme and be completely blown away.





The First People have a rich, exciting and traditional culture which could be mapped to your wedding and in a tasteful and classy way. This is simply too good not to do if you are really looking to stay rich in culture and tradition.