As a wedding venue Melbourne couples have trusted for more than a century, the walls of Ascot House have seen hundreds of happy couples celebrate their big day. As a highly multicultural country, these days, couples are much more likely to be from different cultural backgrounds. This should be cause for celebration however it can be tricky blending traditions from different cultures on your wedding day. While it may be hard to get around religious requirements, your wedding reception is the perfect place to incorporate cultural flourishes. When it comes to wedding receptions, Melbourne has plenty of venues but Ascot House knows how to deliver a successful multicultural wedding. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Focus on Food

Food is one of the greatest expressions of culture. Food brings people together, food tells historical stories and food makes people happy. That’s why Ascot House have developed menus that allow flexibility and expression of culture. Gone are the days where a rigid set menu full of dull beef and chicken dishes was the standard wedding fare. At Ascot House we incorporate rich flavours and dishes with cultural heritage into our menus. Expect Italian-style antipasto platters full of exceptional produce, dishes infused with the flavours of Asia and

Be in Tune

Whether you hire a jazz band to belt out American Big Band standards, a talented vocalist to sing romantic French ballads or a traditional Greek band to get the party started with a little Zorba, incorporating music from both cultures is a good way to break down boundaries and get everyone on the dancefloor. While you may not agree with every single song choice, having a little music from each culture ensures that everyone gets time on the dancefloor, even your Great Aunty who flew all the way over from her village in Greece.

Don’t Get Lost in Translation

If you know that some of your guests don’t speak much English, be sure to think ahead and put some plans in place to ensure that they don’t end up feeling left out. Consider these options to make your wedding more inclusive of all cultures:

– Hire a translator to translate speeches in real time

– Before the wedding, translate the invitations, menus, running order and other printed materials into languages other than English

–  If your partner has many family members who speak another language, consider learning the basics of the language (words like ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, ‘welcome’, and ‘you look wonderful’ are a good start) to impress them on your wedding day. If you’re brave, consider saying your whole speech in English and the other language too!

Finally, remember that you can’t always please everyone, but if you ensure that elements from both cultures are sprinkled throughout the day in the food served, the music played and the decorations, then you have a good chance of fostering cross-cultural learning and appreciation.

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Talk to the friendly, helpful team at Ascot House about your upcoming wedding.

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