Today was a relatively uneventful day. The bed we were sleeping on was soooo comfortable that we slept in hard this morning. Our hotel did a turn down service last night before bed and our wedding attire was pressed and hanging in the closet when we returned from Khalid’s home. After and amazing waterfall shower we headed down to the lobby for breakfast. This was the largest and most impressive spread I have ever seen. It took up 3 rooms!! There was a chocolate fountain, a whole honey comb for scraping honey, and foods from all over!! I tried to stick to fruits but the spread was too enticing. After that we retired to our own cabana by the pool. We spent the day reading, swimming, and relaxing in anticipation for the wedding. 
The moment came and we readied ourselves. We didn’t know what to expect. So we showed up at Khalid’s house where his family was preparing him for the wedding. All of a sudden the entire house broke out in chanting, singing, clapping, dancing, and ululating. There as a sort of ‘band’ of men dressed similarly and playing bagpipes and drums while clapping and singing. It gave the vibe of pumping the groom up for the marriage. 
We (the American contingent) stood awkwardly as no one explained what was happening, but Khalid’s family and friends encouraged us to participate nonetheless. 
We each took turns dancing with the groom in the center of the crowded space. This went on for about an hour! Clapping and singing and dancing. Then we all piled into cars and headed to his bride’s house where she was undergoing the same ritual.
We sang and clapped him all the way into her house where their parents quickly wed them and then both families sang and clapped them out and into a car. We all then piled into cars and headed to the reception. I guess photos took a while as we all sat around for about 1.5 hours just outside the beautifully decorated hall. 
Given it was a Muslim wedding there was no booze which made the long stretches between activities feel slightly longer. Finally, we were permitted into the main/decorated reception hall (which was a part of a huge multi-event venue with multiple other weddings/events occurring in other parts of the venue). We were told that the newly weds would make not one but FOUR grand entrances. The first came when they ‘arrived’ by car. The singing, clapping, and dancing carried them into the reception hall where they promptly disappeared again. About a half hour later they made their grandest entrance through the main façade, under fireworks, to the sounds of a great trumpeting orchestra (via speakers), and waltzed down the center of the hall. They looked happy. Then we sang, clapped, and danced the traditional way for 2 more hours! We felt a little bad for the poor bride who was in an enormous dress and who had probably not stopped dancing for the last 6 hours. Finally the music stopped and they opened a MASSIVE buffet that looked to feed an army.
The moment came and we readied ourselves. We didn’t know what to expect. So we showed up at Khalid’s house where his family was preparing him for the wedding. All of a sudden the entire house broke out in chanting, singing, clapping, dancing, and ululating. There as a sort of ‘band’ of men dressed similarly and playing bagpipes and drums while clapping and singing. It gave the vibe of pumping the groom up for the marriage. 
We (the American contingent) stood awkwardly as no one explained what was happening, but Khalid’s family and friends encouraged us to participate nonetheless. 
We each took turns dancing with the groom in the center of the crowded space. This went on for about an hour! Clapping and singing and dancing. Then we all piled into cars and headed to his bride’s house where she was undergoing the same ritual.
We sang and clapped him all the way into her house where their parents quickly wed them and then both families sang and clapped them out and into a car. We all then piled into cars and headed to the reception. I guess photos took a while as we all sat around for about 1.5 hours just outside the beautifully decorated hall. 
Given it was a Muslim wedding there was no booze which made the long stretches between activities feel slightly longer. Finally, we were permitted into the main/decorated reception hall (which was a part of a huge multi-event venue with multiple other weddings/events occurring in other parts of the venue). We were told that the newly weds would make not one but FOUR grand entrances. The first came when they ‘arrived’ by car. The singing, clapping, and dancing carried them into the reception hall where they promptly disappeared again. About a half hour later they made their grandest entrance through the main façade, under fireworks, to the sounds of a great trumpeting orchestra (via speakers), and waltzed down the center of the hall. They looked happy. Then we sang, clapped, and danced the traditional way for 2 more hours! We felt a little bad for the poor bride who was in an enormous dress and who had probably not stopped dancing for the last 6 hours. Finally the music stopped and they opened a MASSIVE buffet that looked to feed an army. The food was great and interestingly eclectic! After eating, the music, clapping, and dancing returned. It was an interesting experience but the exhaustion and sore palms from clapping started hitting all of the non-Arab guests hard. We all wished Khalid and Dina good luck and good fortunes and slipped away. What a wedding! And bonus, no hangover tomorrow!!
1 comment:
Emily looked absolutely beautiful! The wedding and getting to be involved with the family and community-invaluable! I love the photos and description! What a life!!! Sending love!
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