Jumping The Broom Wedding Planner

History is full of events, happy or sad which had the intention of making us understand that some people can hurt other people without any remorse. There are plenty of cases that should teach us not to discriminate because we are all human beings and should be treated with respect and dignity. The Afro-Americans, the Jews, the gypsies etc, these are all people who had to endure many sufferings, but managed to maintain their traditions. The Afro-Americans have a sad history that shows how cruel and insensitive people can be, but despite this, they have managed to preserve an interesting culture with songs, dances and rituals. Jumping the broom is one of the Afro-American rituals that should be known by every wedding planner.

This has its origin in Africa and it is believed that it has its roots in the 19^th century slave wedding ceremonies. The symbolism of jumping the broom is very interesting and depends on the location. In South America this custom decided who was going to run the household, because the person who jumped the highest was entitled to take the decisions. In South Africa, the same ritual has different meanings. Here, meant that the bride was committed and willing to clean her new house.

This custom is very important for an Afro-American couple who is going to get married and thus, the wedding planner they hire should be informed correctly about its meanings. This is why, Harriette Cole decided to write “Jumping the Broom: The African-American Wedding Planner”, a lovely book about the African-American culture. With a large collection of pictures and illustrations, this book is not a “wedding guide, but a celebration of African-American culture”.

It has 2 parts and 11 chapters during which young couples are explained the roots of the traditions and how a wedding should be planned perfectly. The first part begins with the elements of commitment, the engagement, the gifts, the ceremonial notes, the perfect location, the proper menu and the best photographer. During the second part you are presented an example of a proper organization (establishing a budget and a timetable, hiring a wedding consultant etc.), invitations, guest lists, “thank you” notes, wedding gowns and advice for the grooms who want to be involved in their wedding planning.

Aside from this little review I was thinking it would be appropriate to present some of the reader’s opinions, which are both pro and con. Tabitha Copelin from Florida was truly delighted with this book: “I just got engage over the holidays, and reading “Jumping the Broom” is really helping me plan for my wedding. Things I never knew until I started reading the book. It has a lot of important information to help you plan for a beautiful and spiritual wedding. I would highly recommend this book for everyone to read.” But we can’t say the same thing about G. Prewitt: “This book was not at all what I expected. I really wanted more information on the ceremony inclusion of jumping the broom itself. This book gives a history of African-American weddings. It really does not give any usable planning advice. It really shouldn’t be titled a wedding planner at all.”