Thursday, October 13, 2011

Three Wedding Parties and a Lady

(And Barry, but I couldn't make it fit and be funny!) :)

What an experience the wedding was, we ended up having a blast and really feeling honored to have been a part of it. I am still chewing on my deeper thoughts about the weekend and pondering them in my heart, I hope to share them with you after I sort through them. Let's just say, I was profoundly affected and had trouble sleeping as I considered the souls of these precious people.

I am going to bullet list some highlights as well as some bloopers for your entertainment. You know, make you smile about some things, make you laugh at me for some others! :)

Highlights:
•Being included in the wedding. What I was afraid might be a form of mild torture ended up being a gift. Being one of 6 couples to meet with the groom's family before the ceremony and escorting him back to the home.

•Allowed to be inside the home for the actual ceremony, this doesn't happen often since I am a foreigner and of a different faith.

•That even though I absolutely did not want to dance, they asked (read: drug me out) to join them. It's always nice to be included.

•I was never asked by them to do something I might not have been comfortable with, they had obviously thought about our role and they made it very easy on us and enjoyable.

•A man asked me to sing karaoke (they always do that here) and I said no that I don't do karaoke and that if I sang he would cover his ears, he replied, "But I think you are such a happy person you must sing!" I took that as a compliment.

•During the night of the nail ceremony the women were discussing my age, they still could not believe that I was 43. They collectively decided that I didn't seem my age because I laugh a lot like a teenager. I was not clear on whether this was a compliment. :)

•At the reception my friend/companion was asking me about weddings in America and comparing them to weddings here. We covered all kinds of ground on the topic and then I made the mistake of sharing "something borrowed, something blue, and a penny in you shoe". I quickly learned this is one of those things that sounds sillier and sillier the more you try to explain it! She was in stitches! LOL Then I thought she was going to spew her drink when I told her about the throwing of the garter. And let me tell you another thing, have you ever tried to describe a garter to someone from another culture? Well, I am here to tell you....it's not easy! I wish I could see what she had pictured in her mind.
Bloopers:
•When asked about my dress I had made for the wedding and it's pattern, I quickly replied that I had it made like a traditional kebaya, except that I had the fabric inside cover my shoulders also, that the lace was fully lined except for the sleeves. (Traditional kebayas are normally lined like a strapless dress under the lace, baring shoulders and arms)  Then I found out that since they are Musl*m, they all lined their sleeves! But they were quick to assure me this was okay and not to worry.....thanks! Leave it to me to be scandalous! :)

•During the nail ceremony my neighbor came by and said a phrase in English that sounded like something special was "coming up", so I asked what the special thing was, and he said THIS!! "Oh, yes, this is very special, thank you", was my quick reply!

•That same night as I was about to walk home they stopped me as there was yet another planning meeting. They asked me where Barry was and I replied that he was home (two doors down) because we thought tonight was only for women. I didn't tell them we were under the impression that we were all getting manicures and pedicures...stupid language barrier. :)

Here is a video of the procession to greet the groom to the reception:



A slideshow of the process and weekend. Enjoy:

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