With warmer weather and bright spring florals in bloom, May is the perfect month to get married. As one of the most intimate moments between a couple, those getting married have a lot of very important decisions to make about their big day, especially when considering what parts of their traditions and cultures that they would like to weave into the order of events.
As an Indigenous-owned cosmetics brand, we wanted to amplify Indigenous brides and the importance of acknowledging Indigenous heritage and cultural traditions during this important milestone in their life. At Cheekbone Beauty, we have curated a custom gallery of sustainable products that are essential for the soft glam bride-to-be, which includes our Unify Multi-Pencil, Horizon Lip Pencil, Mattifying Moon Dust, Balance Blush/Bronzer, and new Uprise Mascara. We have also created the Indigenous Bridal Bundle ($155 CAD), which reflects the products that our models, Alissa and Delian, wear in the photos below. We hope to represent Indigenous beauty and eco-friendly options that empower any wearer to feel their very best - on their special day and everyday.
Continue reading to learn more about Indigenous wedding traditions below!
Hair
Braids
In many Indigenous cultures, hair is an important part of one’s identity. More generally, it is a physical representation of their Indigenous culture, honouring and representing their ancestors. Though similar across all tribes, the exact significance may vary – one’s hair may represent their innate connection to the creator, their ancestors, and to mother earth. The modern act of wearing braids in Indigenous communities, especially following the Canadian Residential School system, is an act of both resistance and pride. Today, many Indigenous people wear braids, especially for the important milestones in their life.
In the image above, our model Alissa is photographed wearing her hair with finger waves with two inverted Dutch braids. In her braids, you can see white leather wraps woven into the hair. These leather wraps, though not specifically wedding attire, make a beautiful addition to one’s wedding look, incorporating the cultural use of leather into the beauty of their braids.
We spoke to Alissa about the significance of her braids and the leather wraps and here is what she had to say:
"The wraps are considered ornamentation - aesthetic. Hair is a way to identify family, ceremony, or tribe. I've also been told braids represent body, mind, and spirit. Hair is also representative of power and strength. Some will pray while having it braided. Some cut their hair when there is a loss/death. It's our connection to Creator too. Men will also grow their hair long." She continues, "Braiding protects our connection to spirit, implementing the three strands (mind, body, spirit). Since our hair, back in the day, would be braided and long. Only our family and people we trusted would do our hair. Our hair represents our connection to creator."
Headpieces
It’s also important to note that not all Indigenous brides (or grooms!) will wear braids on their wedding day. In fact, some brides will opt for different hairstyles while wearing a traditional headpiece, like our model Delian. Again, the style of the headpiece will vary depending on one's tribal affiliation. These bridal headpieces are often gifted to the bride, meticulously beaded, with intricate detail and design.
Some brides may also opt to wear a veil on their wedding day in lieu of the leather wraps or the headpiece.
Clothing
Cultural Dress
Like the hairstyle and headpiece(s), what an Indigenous bride wears on her special day will also vary depending on her tribal affiliation. For example, some brides may opt for brightly coloured regalia while others may wear something similar to our model, Alissa. In the image above, she can be seen wearing a beautiful blue Haudenosaunee Longhouse Dress. Traditionally, these dresses would be handmade, featuring beautiful beaded details at the collar and wrists, as well as an underskirt, and then passed down through generations. Colour worn is also significant, but will differ depending on tribe.
Traditional White Wedding Dress
Many people dream about the day that they are able to wear the "traditional" white wedding gown, finding unique ways to incorporate their culture to personalize the dress beyond its lace, tulle, embellishments, and so on. Our model Alissa pairs her white gown with her long, beautiful braids and leather wraps, as well as her beaded earrings as a way to incorporate culture and heritage with her look.
Accessories
Beading is an important part of Indigenous culture. It is a tradition that has been practiced across landscapes and tribes for generations - a unique marriage of the past and present - using both traditional materials, such as shell, hide, and/or hair, as well as contemporary materials like glass beads. The process of creating beadwork is timely and a meticulous attention to detail is often required of the beader. Indigenous artisans honour their artistry processes by intricately designing each piece with care and attention, often using the time spent for healing and cultural reconnection. The art of beading is constantly transforming, and Indigenous artisans find unique and beautiful ways to incorporate their art into everyday pieces. These pieces are handmade, and often can take hours/days to complete based on the complexity of the design(s). The above image features a beaded clutch that belongs to our model, Alissa. The beaded clutch, like beaded earrings, is a beautiful take on a classic wedding item that most to-be-weds will carry/wear on their special day and with a unique, cultural twist to personalize the pieces.
Bouquet
Feathers
Unlike the faux or fresh flower bouquets that some brides carry on their wedding day, many Indigenous brides carry a bundle of sacred Eagle feathers during the ceremony. If not being carried by the bride or groom, the feathers will be present throughout the ceremony in other ways. Many believe that it is the Eagle who carries prayer to the Creator, and their feathers offer a blessing to the couple. The presence of Eagle feathers is also symbolic due to the innate connection between Indigenous communities and nature/land, as many Indigenous weddings include natural elements, each meaningful in their own way, as part of the ceremony.
We hope that you love our Indigenous Bridal Bundle, and we are wishing peace, love, and prosperity to all to-be-weds as you enter a new chapter of your life!
♡
Vendors:
Braids: @braidsbyconn, owner of @comfortcutzmobile
Earrings: @sweetgrasscrafts
Model: @alissa.gee (Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) Six Nations of the Grand River and European Descent).