In this execution, the broom was placed at the threshold of a door, and the groom jumped first, followed by his bride. Some believe the practice originated in the early 1700s in Wales, when broomstick weddings served as a Welsh marriage rite for Roma communities who were not permitted to marry in churches. Like many traditions, the history of jumping the broom at a wedding ceremony is complicated and difficult to trace back to one single source. What is the history of jumping the broom? After the big jump, the broom is usually saved as a memento (and never used for cleaning!). The broom is often decorated with symbolic flowers and ribbons, sometimes provided by guests as a metaphor for their well-wishing for and partnership with the marrying couple. To do it, the marrying couple simply lay a broomstick on the floor at their altar, and hop over it together with joined hands, usually following their wedding vows and accompanied by a prayer, song, or reading. In practice, this marriage ritual is pretty self explanatory. Read on for everything you need to know (and have always wondered) about jumping the broom ceremonies.
Maybe you’ve used this term in place of “getting married” in common conversation, maybe you’ve seen it on TV or in a movie, or maybe you’ve actually done it yourself at your wedding! But you may not be aware of the full history and meaning of this wedding tradition, which spans centuries and continents, has roots in the African diaspora and slavery, and today represents a reclamation of Black history.