Last week began with a weekend trip outside the city for a wedding. We attended another in the middle of the week, then ended the week with yet another. Our trip outside the city was with some neighbors. We stayed with their grandmother in a traditional 'platform' house and were introduced to the local wedding culture. The most traditional weddings, often those outside the city, include three different events. The first night is for the bride or groom, separately, and at their respective homes or relative's home.
 |
| 1st event, with just the bride |
The second event, usually the following day, is the actual ceremony that joins the couple in marriage. The last event is a reception, often the night of the ceremony or the next day.
 |
| tent set up outside home for all the wedding events |
 |
| table with many sweet treats to enjoy before the ceremony |
How do you even begin to explain a wedding that is so very different. Everything from the outside, observable features to all the underlying unobservable aspects. For our first wedding of the week we arrived late, just to miss the whole ceremony, but apparently this was not a big deal. The ceremony often is held inside the bride's family's house, where there isn't enough seating for all the guests. So guests either sit outside the house and wait, or are connected to the ceremony by a speaker and microphone.
For the second wedding, the ceremony was held in the couple's religious prayer house. The third wedding was different yet, as the ceremony was held at a reception hall. This was also the first ceremony we actually were able to watch. The ceremony in all cases takes place between the groom and the brides father. After the ceremony the groom, now husband, goes to see his now wife in her bed room. They then come out to greet the world as husband and wife.
 |
| Ceremony between groom and bride's family |
 |
| Bride and Groom (3rd wedding attended) during reception |
The reception is just as different. For the whole time the couple sits upon the stage, standing to greet each guest as they walk by, then the couple sit again. The guests on the other hand enjoy a buffet and often leave shortly after eating. Therefore guests are coming to and going from the reception for hours.
 |
| Bride and Groom (1st wedding attended) during the reception |
We couldn't have arranged a more complete cultural experience ourselves, and all in a weeks time. We learned so much and yet have only really scratched the surface of how marriage begins in this culture!
