Ghana practices many cultural traditions and rituals. I quickly learned how detailed Ghanaian weddings have to be when it comes to organizing the wants and needs of both the bride and groom's family.
The "dowry" is most important. Dowry is an exchange of parental property, gifts or money presented to the bride and her family. The dowry also represents the bride's worth and has it has a long history in Europe, South Asia, Africa and many parts of the world.
I learned about Ghanaian traditional weddings and how they combine African tradition with modern American tradition.
Once the dowry is accepted by the bride's family, the wedding ceremony can continue, and the bride is allowed to be seen. In this part of the wedding, everyone is dressed in traditional African attire. The second part of the ceremony is continued at a different location where everyone changes into traditional American attire and the bride and groom exchange their wedding vows. This process can be very long, so having a good night's rest the day before is a good idea.
Some of the activities performed during the wedding ceremony include lots of photography, an abundance of food, gifts presented to the guests, ongoing dancing to exciting music and the popping of champagne bottles.
