Everybody Jump!

Everybody Jump!

April 9th, 2010 @ 8:40 am by Mrs. Oyster
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Well, early on Mrs. Penguin mentioned a “pink broom” wedding! I call my wedding that because I love pink and we’re going to “jump the broom”, as they say. So, I figured I should focus on it a little.

Jumping the broom is an optional tradition for African-American weddings. Its origins are a bit uncertain, but its significance is clear.

After the minister has pronounced us man and wife, we kiss, and we turn back to the congregation, we’ll jump the broom just before we walk back down the aisle. I think it will just be a joyous moment and a great signifier that we are married. Here’s an example that shows exactly that; they jump the broom at about 1:30. This is a very cute couple!

But this post is more about the broom itself. Although it only appears in the ceremony for an instant, it’s symbolic for me and I imagine it will have a prominent place at the front of our wedding album.

I have a vision in my head for this broom, and the feeling that it has to be handmade. It just seems like that type of item. I don’t have too many ideas yet, but I do plan to have a basic, “old-looking” straw broom, and decorate it with ribbon, wrap it in a little fabric (maybe some fabric from my wedding dress), and some handmade silk flowers. Here are some pictures:

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When it came time to think about it, I was surprised by how emotionally invested I was in this broom. Yes, I’m an American, a Westerner, and in planning a traditional “white wedding” (that term just refers to the dress, by the way) I’m acknowledging that I’ve absorbed many of society’s wedding traditions, and that they resonate with me. But the broom, I guess, is the only tangible evidence we have in the ceremony, the only part that says, “Here is a black woman getting married.” I’m very lucky that my fiance, who is white, is as excited about this as I am!

I was also surprised to find myself thinking of it as an heirloom broom. Maybe we’ll have a son or daughter who gets married, and wants to jump the broom? Or, in the even nearer future, what if one of my little cousins (I’m the oldest of 8 girl cousins) wants to get married and jump it? The “family broom”. What a great tradition!

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Are you using any symbolic family heirlooms in your wedding? What are they?

Tags: cultural, dallas |

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23 Responses to “Everybody Jump!”

1 2 Last

Member

MsMamaBear (message) 3,255 posts, Sugar bee

I would like to make one with straw, like my great-grandma used to. I would have her make it, but she’s very sick right now. I think it would be such an interesting story and liek you said, a family broom.

4/9/10 @ 8:59 am (reply)

Member

mander411 (message) 735 posts, Busy bee

I love this tradition! I think it is so meaningful. I wish I had something like that to incorporate. Oddly enough I do have a broom that looks like that (without the added decoration) at my parents house. I don’t know where it came from.

4/9/10 @ 9:05 am (reply)

Guest

malaika

Oh, Oyster. I heart this post. Thanks so much for sharing, and for inspiring me to include a handmade-broom-jumping in my own ceremony!

4/9/10 @ 9:08 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Scissors (message) 7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

1- I love the jumping-the-broom tradition. I wish I could use it, tbh.
2- That video made my morning. Not only does he sound almost EXACTLY like our officiant/minister, but the couple, the chapstick-ing groom? Perfect! Warmed my little heart and gave me corner-eye-tearies.

4/9/10 @ 9:15 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Pudding (message) 1,180 posts, Bumble bee

I love this tradition!

4/9/10 @ 9:55 am (reply)

Member

gibsonkk (message) 227 posts, Helper bee

Jumping the broom is so cool! I love that tradition. and I got goosebumps about your “heirloom broom!” - I’m trying to start a few hopeful family heirloom traditions myself haha

I hope you do a post featuring the broom you decide to use!

Anyone considered using cultural wedding traditions other than from your own culture just b/c you love them??

4/9/10 @ 10:01 am (reply)

Member

shantastic (message) 122 posts, Blushing bee

I, too, got goosebumps. Can’t wait to see what broom you use.

My FMIL asked me if I would carry the Bible that she and her daughter carried with their bouquet during their wedding. I am very touched to be asked to do this, and to be a part of the list of names inside that are all a part of my fiance’s family.

4/9/10 @ 10:06 am (reply)

Member

daniellemybelle (message) 2,520 posts, Sugar bee

My FI is African American and we’re jumping the broom!

We have been trying to figure out where exactly in the ceremony to do it. We were thinking of doing it after we are announced and walk back down the aisle, but I like how they did it after the kiss and before the announcement! I am going to send this clip to our minister.

4/9/10 @ 10:08 am (reply)

Member

heather25 (message) 2,355 posts, Buzzing bee

too cute! I am glad you all are doing this!

4/9/10 @ 10:08 am (reply)

10.

Member

fromcharleston (message) 651 posts, Busy bee

If you’re curious, the tradition comes from the African slaves in the US. Slaves were not allowed to be legally married, so they created their own ceremony instead–jumping the broom.

4/9/10 @ 10:19 am (reply)

11.

Bee

Mrs. Quiche (message) 3,160 posts, Sugar bee

Glad you’re jumping the broom! I like the idea of the broom becoming a family heirloom as well

4/9/10 @ 11:29 am (reply)

12.

Member

what2bee (message) 229 posts, Helper bee

It’s also a Cajun/Creole tradition, probably coming from the same African slave tradition fromcharleston mentioned… In Louisiana there were traveling priests that would marry couples, but often it would be weeks or months before they would come to rural towns so couples had ceremonies in which they jumped the broom, that acted as a sort of place holder until the priest made it around. So, some white people do it too and we’re probably going to work it into our ceremony as well- I think it’s fun! I also like the idea of a family broom, you could hang it somewhere in your house, like above a kitchen door? it would be special for your kids to grow up with it around!

4/9/10 @ 11:36 am (reply)

13.

Member

Jaclyn@Bash (message) 7 posts, Newbee

Hi Miss Oyster! I love the idea of you adding this touching tradition to your wedding. I also like that you would like to start a family tradition that your cousins could perhaps partake in. Have you thought about incorporating something onto the broom for decoration that is meaningful to your family? Maybe there is a piece of fabric or some sort of small keepsake from your Grandmother that you and your cousins share that can be added to the broom too?

4/9/10 @ 11:37 am (reply)

14.

Bee

Miss Trail Mix (message) 6,328 posts, Bee Keeper

Oooh, I love the idea of making it a family broom to be incorporated into other weddings! Good call!

4/9/10 @ 11:49 am (reply)

15.

Member

alivoo01 (message) 2,622 posts, Sugar bee

I love the idea of the broom being a family heirloom - it can be the “something borrowed/old” for future weddings!! Can’t wait to see your broom! We’re incorporating the tea ceremony in our wedding ceremony, but it’ll be hosted after the “formal ceremony” as it can take over an hour!

4/9/10 @ 12:00 pm (reply)

16.

Member

kieshamichaels (message) 77 posts, Worker bee

My FI (who is white) read up on his AA history after I suggested jumping the broom to him. He’s really excited now because he read somewhere that whoever jumps highest will have control over the household…ever since then he has been practicing his jumping skills!!! He keeps telling me that he’s going to leapfrog me lol!

4/9/10 @ 1:28 pm (reply)

17.

Member

Ducks35 (message) 94 posts, Worker bee

I feel the same way!! And I’m definitely going to make my broom too! I’m so happy to see this post. I thought everyone knew about this tradition, but since I’ve stared planning my wedding (I’m black & my FI is Hispanic & white) I’ve gotten a lot of blank stares when I mention ‘jumping the broom’. If you find a place that sells the undecorated straw brooms, please share! So far, it’s looking like I might have to get one from a Halloween costume lol.

4/9/10 @ 1:44 pm (reply)

18.

Bee

Miss Stripes (message) 1,063 posts, Bumble bee

Yay! We’re jumping the broom too! And I’m right there with you on that broom being a homemade/treasured family heirloom!

It’s one of the next things on my “to-do” list and one I’m super excited about!

4/9/10 @ 1:57 pm (reply)

19.

Member

tweds (message) 448 posts, Helper bee

My FI is biracial (AA/white), but he’s not into this idea - wish he was! But he DOES have 14 (!!) siblings, most of which are not married…so I am having a beautiful leather book handmade which I’m going to write or scrapbook our ceremony out in. I envision it as an heriloom for his siblings and/or our kids for the same purpose…we’ll see how that works out!!

4/9/10 @ 10:31 pm (reply)

20.