Saturday I experienced my first Jordanian wedding and what an experience it was. Occasions, such as weddings, can often be awkward as people from every corner of the individual's/ couple's life converge under one roof (or sky in this case) to celebrate. What usually happens is that you end up sitting at a table where don't know anyone, occasionally looking at your table mates and smiling with little to say after the preliminary introductions (apparently this is a universal phenomenon), eating mediocre food while downing as many drinks from the open bar as is possible and ending up on the dance floor, drunkenly flailing about to 90s remixes provided by a DJ who refuses to take requests. What a strange social experiment. Generally, this has been my experience, with a few exceptions of course :)
Observation 1 - What time is it?
We were the first to arrive at the wedding, literally the first. I am told this is unusual and that the bride and groom (families included) do normally arrive on time, but in this case they were at least a half hour late arriving. This means that the actual celebration did not start for an hour after the original time. Hmm. Needless to say, the outdoor venue had a beautiful view of Amman, so it wasn't wasted time in the least.
Observation 2 - Appropriate Attire
I was very nervous about my wardrobe for this event. Weddings, generally speaking, in the States are quite informal and I can usually get by with the standard black dress, sundress, or even pants and a nice shirt but Jordanian culture is more formal than the States and this is particularly true when it comes to weddings. Thankfully I have a wonderful friend (thank you Huda!) who took me shopping and acted as my guide for picking out the appropriate attire.
I was quite intrigued when the guests began to arrive. The men were dressed well, in a suit and tie or trousers and a nice shirt. The ladies were all over the place, some wearing the traditional long dress with long sleeves and hijab. Others were in evening dresses, all fancy and stuff. And then there were those who were dressed for a booty club complete with hair weaves (I saw at least 2-3 with extensions/weaves, usually blond).
The diversity in attire was striking but truthfully, we have that in the states too. (Though the makeup is frequently a bit too much.) And all in all, the ladies looked beautiful, especially the sisters of the groom.
Observation 3 - Lights, Camera, Action
I was unprepared for the production portion of this wedding. The spectacle was bigger than many independent films in terms of photography, cinematography, and fireworks. Yes, fireworks. Not only fireworks in the sky, but roman candle like apparatuses(apparati?) surrounding the stage as if it were a KISS concert. I wonder how many brides' dress catch fire because of incidents such as these. Massive amounts of hairspray coupled with flames is a recipe for an interesting pyrotechnical display. Needless to say, this bride escaped the sparks, unscathed.
Observation 4 - Dancing
Oh the dancing....everyone dances, or at least claps. I was even convinced to get on stage and shake it, though very briefly. This was one of my favorite parts. In the States, dancing is usually reserved for the very bold or the very drunk, but in this case everyone dances and has a good time.
Observation 5 - Open Juice Bar
No alcohol....well almost. There was some flask-like action happening under the table but all in all, no alcohol. There was, however, an open juice and soda bar. Strange but the fact that people had a great time without alcohol is refreshing.
What a great experience, and it is quite different from what we are used to in the West. The actual ceremony, from what I am told, usually takes place in a more private setting such as a house. An Imam is brought in and the vows are said. The wedding people refer to is what we would consider the reception in the States.
So now that I have one Jordanian wedding under my belt, I feel more prepared for the next one.
Salaam.
Observation 1 - What time is it?
We were the first to arrive at the wedding, literally the first. I am told this is unusual and that the bride and groom (families included) do normally arrive on time, but in this case they were at least a half hour late arriving. This means that the actual celebration did not start for an hour after the original time. Hmm. Needless to say, the outdoor venue had a beautiful view of Amman, so it wasn't wasted time in the least.
Observation 2 - Appropriate Attire
I was very nervous about my wardrobe for this event. Weddings, generally speaking, in the States are quite informal and I can usually get by with the standard black dress, sundress, or even pants and a nice shirt but Jordanian culture is more formal than the States and this is particularly true when it comes to weddings. Thankfully I have a wonderful friend (thank you Huda!) who took me shopping and acted as my guide for picking out the appropriate attire.
I was quite intrigued when the guests began to arrive. The men were dressed well, in a suit and tie or trousers and a nice shirt. The ladies were all over the place, some wearing the traditional long dress with long sleeves and hijab. Others were in evening dresses, all fancy and stuff. And then there were those who were dressed for a booty club complete with hair weaves (I saw at least 2-3 with extensions/weaves, usually blond).
The diversity in attire was striking but truthfully, we have that in the states too. (Though the makeup is frequently a bit too much.) And all in all, the ladies looked beautiful, especially the sisters of the groom.
Observation 3 - Lights, Camera, Action
I was unprepared for the production portion of this wedding. The spectacle was bigger than many independent films in terms of photography, cinematography, and fireworks. Yes, fireworks. Not only fireworks in the sky, but roman candle like apparatuses(apparati?) surrounding the stage as if it were a KISS concert. I wonder how many brides' dress catch fire because of incidents such as these. Massive amounts of hairspray coupled with flames is a recipe for an interesting pyrotechnical display. Needless to say, this bride escaped the sparks, unscathed.
Observation 4 - Dancing
Oh the dancing....everyone dances, or at least claps. I was even convinced to get on stage and shake it, though very briefly. This was one of my favorite parts. In the States, dancing is usually reserved for the very bold or the very drunk, but in this case everyone dances and has a good time.
Observation 5 - Open Juice Bar
No alcohol....well almost. There was some flask-like action happening under the table but all in all, no alcohol. There was, however, an open juice and soda bar. Strange but the fact that people had a great time without alcohol is refreshing.
What a great experience, and it is quite different from what we are used to in the West. The actual ceremony, from what I am told, usually takes place in a more private setting such as a house. An Imam is brought in and the vows are said. The wedding people refer to is what we would consider the reception in the States.
So now that I have one Jordanian wedding under my belt, I feel more prepared for the next one.
Salaam.
I don't have to tell you that my favorite part of this blog was the weave situation...viva las weave. the weave knows no boundaries...it doesn't matter if you are black, white or jordanian. I love it and I love love you. xoxox
ReplyDeleteI knew you would love that! The weave is universal, ha! We will Skype soon. Pick a date and I will try to wake up early. xoxo
ReplyDeleteA juice bar sounds so refreshing. I am loving the blog! :)
ReplyDeleteit makes me feel horrible that my favorite part was the weave and your friend timothy likes the juice bar. hilarious...and i love love you. xoxox
ReplyDeletehahaha. thats awesome! sounds like your enjoying making it a good time regardless of whats goin on. :)
ReplyDelete