Wedding

I had the pleasure of attending my first Arab wedding Thursday night.  I have been thinking I need to post about it quickly before I forget all the details of what happened, but even though it was just the other day, it is hard to find the right words to write about it.

I guess I'll just start at the beginning.  My friend came and picked me up about 7:00.  Here in our Arab country, weddings are segregated (men and women have their own parties).  Unlike a Christian wedding, the actual ceremony is not that big of a deal.  Sometime earlier that day or even days before they go to the court and sign papers of matrimony.  Their wedding is really just a big reception party.

We arrived, blindly followed some other ladies around a building and into a packed room with lots of Arab women all sitting at tables.  We made our way to the back (me being a foot taller than ever other person there did a great job of just blending in) and found a seat which we thought was out of the way.  The music was louder than any music I have ever heard in my entire life.  When we left it felt like I had cotton balls in my ears.  They announced the bride was coming and we quickly realized we did not have such inconspicuous seats as we had hoped for.  We were sitting right by the door that the bride would come in.  We of course were in all of her intimate moment pictures the entire night as each new group entered.

The bride entered with her father and possibly an uncle.  She wore a typical white wedding dress we would think of except she had a white hood type thing she used to cover her head while she was outside but was loose enough it did not mess up her hair.  The family took off her hood and then she and her family walked down the "isle" to the dance floor.  She, her family and quickly some friends as well began dancing.  Her father left so since it was all women, veils came off right and left.  The bride did some dancing and took some pictures for about an hour.

They then announced the groom was coming.  Everyone except for his sisters and close family covered back up.  Of course we got front row seats for his arrival.  She met him at the door, they greeted each other then walked to the dance floor for their first dance.  They had a traditional arabic style dance and a slow dance.  They they went to sit and take more pictures.

After a reasonable amount of time passed, they announced that the men were coming.  These were all the men in his family and her family (seemed like any guy close enough to get in tried to).  More people, including the bride covered for their coming.  They proceeded down the isle, greeted the groom and stayed around for a dance or two then left.

It is custom for the groom to give the bride gold at the wedding.  She took off all of the jewelry she came in with then he proceeded to put on her various types of gold jewelry.  Several bracelets, several rings, earrings and a couple of necklaces.

They wheeled in the cake, down the isle, and the bride and groom cut through all the layers with a sword!  It was pretty fun.  They each fed each other the cake with a fork.  They did the arm twisty thing with the drink.  It was interesting that they had all these traditions that we have, but it seemed like they were just going though the motions with them so they could get the picture and say they did it.

We left shortly after the cake cutting.  Me being gluten free and all couldn't eat any anyway.  It seems so crazy to me in this culture where men and women do not have very much contact, one minute you have to steer clear of men and then the next you're living with one!  This has to be a radical shift for them.  It was a fun and interesting experience.  I had a headache the rest of the night, but I think it was worth it.  Now I am ready for Andrew to go to a wedding so we can find out what it is the men do!