Wedding stories... Let's have some

[SonyaM]

This is for all the ladies and gents who are married and would like to share their wedding day stories with us. We need some light hearted reading, so tell us all the good bits, the great bits, the funny bits and inshallah you didn't have any disasters, but if you did and want to share them, then feel free to!

[Bent_Bladi]

I'm not married... but I've been to my share of WIIIIIIIIIILD weddings... hee hee

Hmmm, which one sticks out the most?

Oh YES! It has to have been the wildest wedding I've been to.

Location: Hosh Arab (Syrian villiage) in some random dude's yard
Time: 4pm/Summer (July I think...) on Thursday (the day of weddings there )

Yeah, I was on the roof of my mom's friend's house and then all of a sudden I see all these men gathering, each one is carrying a chair --- I realized what was going on when I saw them setting up a stage... So I ran downstairs and told everyone what was going on (and about the great view from the roof)... so the whole family joins me on the roof and we watch the partay get started. So after a while, the place become super crowded with all the men of the village, and the singer comes and he starts singing the most AWESOME dabke song.... and the dabke drum dude just busts out of nowhere, and in a split second, half the men that were sitting down and socializing bounced up, held hands, and made the LARGEST dabke circle I've ever seen in my life.

And not only was it the largest dabke circle ever --- it was the freakiest! Those guys were doing some HARD CORE dancing, with the feet and the shoulders and the sticks and all that jazz. I was so amazed (15 at the time) and we were just staring at them for the longest time.... Then all of a sudden the singer (in the middle of the song) starts cussing the HELL out of America and Bush and all these people and when he did that, the circle got even wilder!!

Keep in mind the groom still hasn't made his entrance... So one of my friends in the village asked me if I wanted to see the women's wedding. So we go and run through the dirt roads and finally approach this enormous tent (made out of rugs )... so we get inside (it was sooooo hot!) and we find ourselves in the middle of a full blown partay... hee hee... Everyone still had their hijabs on cuz the groom was still inside dancing with his bride... but then afterwards we heard a huge commotion outside, so my friend and I take a peek....

Turns out the commotion was the groom's friends - they were chanting the men's wedding chant (called 3arada) and were beckoning him to come to them... so he gets outside and the guys carry him on their shoulders all the way back to the men's wedding.

We go back in the tent and everyone had taken their hijabs off (so we did the same) and wow... that was the funnest part ever... we went crazy, dancing, singing and all that. The best part is that we didn't even know the bride but since we were in the village we were invited

After we got super tired... we went back home and got back on the roof again to watch the men's wedding some more... The party was almost over --- but before it ended, the groom and his relatives all got up and did this really funky dance - it was like a cross between dabke and... something else ... I dunno - but it was awesome.

Anyways - that's it ... but wow, that was the wildest wedding I've ever been to.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention - since Thursday is the "day of weddings" in the village - there were like 4 other weddings going on at the same time, and one henna party. We took a peek at those too, but they weren't as full blown as the other one

[mojo]

Wow! Sounds amazing!!

[gn4dz]

I’m not married too , but I want to share with you good memories I’ll keep in mind, it was during my trip to Syria, a family invited us, they just knew we were in the same hotel where they will organise their wedding ..I remember a cute little girl came asking us -with Syrian accent- : “entou men al jazayer” -are you Algerian?- we said yes, “eme bet’ssalem alekoun we 3azme’tkoun la teejou la 3anna” -my mum invites you to attend the wedding-

we decided to stay and we cancelled going out, the family was Palestinian-Syrian , it was the first time I attend a non Algerian wedding, all people were dancing dabka, it was so special! we ate delicious ice cream, we didn’t feel at all like outsiders….people who can dance dabka are really sporty

[Bent_Bladi]

wow gn4dz... i didn't know you've been to syria how COOL!! (double cool at the pali/souri part )

what an awesome story - i LOVE weddings in syria... no matter what budget the family is on, it's always DA BOMB!

[nesreen]

I had 3 weddings (my own ) to the same man . but i cant remember anything specific (yes it has been that long )
the Home office office was a small celebration with close friends from UNI , the Second wedding that lasted 3 days in Algeria was ok but a bit sad , as hubby (from India) was not accepted by family . but the ceremony and food and music went on .
my Best wedding was in India . it was a blast ! i arrived to the home after a 13 hours flight , my mother in law took me to the shops we bought a few outfits for me (not ready made but just material ) within 4 hours 4 gorgeous outfits were ready to be worn .
i had the Henna ceremony , lots of sweets were passed on and i was very happy , everyone looked happy , then we had a ceremony at a huge hall , its walls entirely decorated with jasmin flowers it smelled gorgeous . then we had a outing for a special lunch , a nearby church was rented . then we had another reception at a Social club . i was pampered taken to beauty parlours et... then my parents in law paid for our Honeymoon to GOA that was the best trip ever . at our arrival ,My husband and i were on the white sandy beach on our own , there was no one , the coconut trees were everywhere to be seen . the scenery was breathtaking . the food at the Hotel was beautiful too . we enjoyed sightseeings in Goa , the only problem was i could not fit in ANY of the western clothes in my suit case , i had to go and buy regular Shalwar Kamees in discreet colors to go home . it was not my fault , ALL the families insisted i had to have lunch at x and Dinner at Y and even Breakfast at someone elses house , if i said no they get upset if i stopped eating they ll say Oh you did not like it . it was a dilema but my best wedding was definitely in India .
After a few years my family fully accepted my Choice of husband and say happiness matters more than his nationality .

[SonyaM]

Such a shame that it took your family so long to accept your hubbie Nesreen, but Hamdulilah they did eventually. I was very lucky, everybody loves my husband and they did right from the very begining.
We got married in Mauritius, just us, nobody else and it was beautiful! That was only 2 months ago, but i will never ever forget it. We have waited so long for my new passport to come through with my married surname, that it is only now we can go to get married in the mosque and then we are planning to go to Algeria in May, where we will have a big party. I can't wait! Apparently they all think i am brilliant (even though they have never met me!) Simply because a woman finally stole his heart and he got married i think! They love that i look after him so well and that i cook and bake!