Wedding belles
I finally got invited to a wedding. Everyone says if you are invited you must go just so you can see what goes on. One of my Emirate teachers at school was getting married so we were all invited.
I drove to the Wedding Hall, a massive structure covered in fairy lights that is set up for weddings. Often when driving past I’ve thought what a magnificent sight it is and tonight it was my turn to go there.
The teacher had told me to get my hair done, put on makeup (we wear none compared to them), wear my party dress and heels.
So I followed all her instructions as I’d been told that the dresses are to die for, red carpet style. I often see the beautiful frocks in shops here and wonder who wears them. Well, now I know.
We arrived a bit early before 8pm and I parked the car. I travelled with another teacher so didn’t arrive alone. We’d been told to make sure we went to the woman’s side but of course we didn’t know where it was and had to do a loop, walking in my high heels and very long dress, around the block, past many wee shops full of men.
A few other woman were dropped off by their sons and we waiting outside. Not sure of the protocol I walked back to the car and drove around and parked right outside the woman’s entrance. Finally we wandered in and were greeted at the door by an assembly line of woman. I later found out who they all were but most of them were the groom’s family. I think they pay for the wedding.
So we chose a table and sat ourselves down. Taking our cue from the others there we unwrapped the various dishes of food on our table and ate. A mixture of typical dishes were served, most savoury but some sweet.
We ate hummus with bread, fattoush, vine leaves, a basket of fruit, a sweet junket like desert, and other treats.
Waitresses circulated offering us another sweet, stick desert with nuts. Then mini deep fried donuts with a sweet sticky sauce.
Perfumed oil was continually offered to anoint ourselves with and the ever-present Oud incense was offered for us to waft the fragrance onto ourselves.
Our side of the hall consisted of 30 tables set for 8. In the middle of the hall was a giant stage with a catwalk. Loud Arabic music blared out while we were offered continual drinks of fresh juices (strawberry, guava & orange), Arabic coffee, 4 different teas, and more sweet nibbles.
After two hours the food itself arrived. On each table a huge platter was placed of biriyani - a rice dish - topped with a baby goat or lamb. We never did decide which it was and the two are interchangeable here. Chick peas were sprinkled on top of the meat. Each table received this bounty, it didn’t matter if there were only two sitting there. This was accompanied by 6 other dishes, saffron rice, spciy vege soup out of a can, meat & pasta dish, samosa, and a glue like gelatinous substance that tasted foul. Whatever that is is very popular here and I’ve seen it at all our school functions.
For dessert a bread & cream type pudding arrived and then two types of cake. All the food was hurriedly taken away with hardly any being eaten. I hope it didn’t all go to waste as there are many hungry, low paid workers in this city.
I imagine a duplicate meal was happening on the men’s side. You see, the men and the women are in separate venues, well the same venue but separate side of the hall.
After the food the lights dimmed in anticipation of the arrival of the bride. A guard of honour of beautifully dressed young women lined the red-carpet. The doors were shut, the two photographers were in place, the rose-petal holder all ready, then the bride appeared in the doorway. It was like a beauty pagent. A spotlight followed her as she slowly made her way along the red-carpet to the stairs leading to the stage.
The older women made this bloodcurdling noise at the arrival of the bride. I’m not sure if it is a sign of excitement or to scare the enemy but it’s an unforgetable sound.
The bride was unrecognisable from the woman I see daily at work. She glittered from head to toe in a sparkling white and silver dress. A movie camera filmed her every move as she glided under the coloured lights. It probably took her ½ hour to cover the short distance but it’s all about being seen and admired.
Her dress was beautiful with a long train fanning out behind her. The veil was held in place by a glittering tiara and the dress was fishtailed with ruffles.
Being sleeveless we could admire her hennaed arms. She looked a million dollars sparkling everywhere.
The bridal walk went on and on. We were all give heart shaped biscuits iced like the bride & groom. The brides mum was dressed like a bride herself in cream and wearing a veil.
The younger women did the most incredible hip-shaking dance which they must learn from birth. I had not seen this before but they all put on black belts around their mostly ample hips and shook their booty. One girl even had a thick belt with bells on it. Boy, could they shake! It was an impressive display and made us all the more certain that we were not going to be up there dancing.
The song fat-bottomed girls came to mind as I watched. Did you know that a big bum is considered an asset here and the bigger the better. My friend refers to it as the table bum, you can sit a cup of tea on it. And if you’re a bit too slim you can buy padded panties to give you some shape. Imagine that! “Does my bum look too small in this?” Yes, dear!
The bride finally made it to the white couch where she would sit like royalty while everyone came to pay their respects to her. Some of us went up, braving the steps and walking the catwalk to wish her well. As I was leaving the floor after meeting her mother and sisters, I was accosted by the grooms sister who had been asking us to dance. Now she was another shaker of some repute and I was anxious to get down from the catwalk but no, she grabbed my hand and I had to dance a couple of songs up there with her. Then the grooms mother came along with a fist full of fivers and threw the money at us. Reminded me of Bailey’s 21st but in this case the workers just about knocked us over grabbing the money. And I thought it was for my amazing efforts!
Suddenly all the women cover up, including the bride who now wears a white satin hood - reminded me of the Clu clux clan - and words goes around that the groom is coming.
So to much ado he is escorted in by his mum and sisters. He is dressed in his best finery, looking like a Sheikh (he could be for all I know) wearing a black and gold robe over his white kandora. He carries the shepards crock that is commonplace here, but it’s probably a camel crock. His white headdress is held in place by a black rope, the camel rope. He looks incredibly smart and it must have been daunting walking into that room full of woman alone. But he holds his head high and walks the carpet and catwalk to meet his bride. Eventually they undo the three knots of her hood and he can see her face.
We left just after this as it was a work night and it was already 11pm. Apparently more men came in, family I believe, and they took some photos.
The whole performance, and that’s what it was, a beauty pagent, is so different to our weddings. A ceremony had taken place a week earlier which is the marriage itself, like a civil service. Tonight was all about show. I hate to think what it cost in terms of food, and her dress.
I finally got invited to a wedding. Everyone says if you are invited you must go just so you can see what goes on. One of my Emirate teachers at school was getting married so we were all invited.
I drove to the Wedding Hall, a massive structure covered in fairy lights that is set up for weddings. Often when driving past I’ve thought what a magnificent sight it is and tonight it was my turn to go there.
The teacher had told me to get my hair done, put on makeup (we wear none compared to them), wear my party dress and heels.
So I followed all her instructions as I’d been told that the dresses are to die for, red carpet style. I often see the beautiful frocks in shops here and wonder who wears them. Well, now I know.
We arrived a bit early before 8pm and I parked the car. I travelled with another teacher so didn’t arrive alone. We’d been told to make sure we went to the woman’s side but of course we didn’t know where it was and had to do a loop, walking in my high heels and very long dress, around the block, past many wee shops full of men.
A few other woman were dropped off by their sons and we waiting outside. Not sure of the protocol I walked back to the car and drove around and parked right outside the woman’s entrance. Finally we wandered in and were greeted at the door by an assembly line of woman. I later found out who they all were but most of them were the groom’s family. I think they pay for the wedding.
So we chose a table and sat ourselves down. Taking our cue from the others there we unwrapped the various dishes of food on our table and ate. A mixture of typical dishes were served, most savoury but some sweet.
We ate hummus with bread, fattoush, vine leaves, a basket of fruit, a sweet junket like desert, and other treats.
Waitresses circulated offering us another sweet, stick desert with nuts. Then mini deep fried donuts with a sweet sticky sauce.
Perfumed oil was continually offered to anoint ourselves with and the ever-present Oud incense was offered for us to waft the fragrance onto ourselves.
Our side of the hall consisted of 30 tables set for 8. In the middle of the hall was a giant stage with a catwalk. Loud Arabic music blared out while we were offered continual drinks of fresh juices (strawberry, guava & orange), Arabic coffee, 4 different teas, and more sweet nibbles.
After two hours the food itself arrived. On each table a huge platter was placed of biriyani - a rice dish - topped with a baby goat or lamb. We never did decide which it was and the two are interchangeable here. Chick peas were sprinkled on top of the meat. Each table received this bounty, it didn’t matter if there were only two sitting there. This was accompanied by 6 other dishes, saffron rice, spciy vege soup out of a can, meat & pasta dish, samosa, and a glue like gelatinous substance that tasted foul. Whatever that is is very popular here and I’ve seen it at all our school functions.
For dessert a bread & cream type pudding arrived and then two types of cake. All the food was hurriedly taken away with hardly any being eaten. I hope it didn’t all go to waste as there are many hungry, low paid workers in this city.
I imagine a duplicate meal was happening on the men’s side. You see, the men and the women are in separate venues, well the same venue but separate side of the hall.
After the food the lights dimmed in anticipation of the arrival of the bride. A guard of honour of beautifully dressed young women lined the red-carpet. The doors were shut, the two photographers were in place, the rose-petal holder all ready, then the bride appeared in the doorway. It was like a beauty pagent. A spotlight followed her as she slowly made her way along the red-carpet to the stairs leading to the stage.
The older women made this bloodcurdling noise at the arrival of the bride. I’m not sure if it is a sign of excitement or to scare the enemy but it’s an unforgetable sound.
The bride was unrecognisable from the woman I see daily at work. She glittered from head to toe in a sparkling white and silver dress. A movie camera filmed her every move as she glided under the coloured lights. It probably took her ½ hour to cover the short distance but it’s all about being seen and admired.
Her dress was beautiful with a long train fanning out behind her. The veil was held in place by a glittering tiara and the dress was fishtailed with ruffles.
Being sleeveless we could admire her hennaed arms. She looked a million dollars sparkling everywhere.
The bridal walk went on and on. We were all give heart shaped biscuits iced like the bride & groom. The brides mum was dressed like a bride herself in cream and wearing a veil.
The younger women did the most incredible hip-shaking dance which they must learn from birth. I had not seen this before but they all put on black belts around their mostly ample hips and shook their booty. One girl even had a thick belt with bells on it. Boy, could they shake! It was an impressive display and made us all the more certain that we were not going to be up there dancing.
The song fat-bottomed girls came to mind as I watched. Did you know that a big bum is considered an asset here and the bigger the better. My friend refers to it as the table bum, you can sit a cup of tea on it. And if you’re a bit too slim you can buy padded panties to give you some shape. Imagine that! “Does my bum look too small in this?” Yes, dear!
The bride finally made it to the white couch where she would sit like royalty while everyone came to pay their respects to her. Some of us went up, braving the steps and walking the catwalk to wish her well. As I was leaving the floor after meeting her mother and sisters, I was accosted by the grooms sister who had been asking us to dance. Now she was another shaker of some repute and I was anxious to get down from the catwalk but no, she grabbed my hand and I had to dance a couple of songs up there with her. Then the grooms mother came along with a fist full of fivers and threw the money at us. Reminded me of Bailey’s 21st but in this case the workers just about knocked us over grabbing the money. And I thought it was for my amazing efforts!
Suddenly all the women cover up, including the bride who now wears a white satin hood - reminded me of the Clu clux clan - and words goes around that the groom is coming.
So to much ado he is escorted in by his mum and sisters. He is dressed in his best finery, looking like a Sheikh (he could be for all I know) wearing a black and gold robe over his white kandora. He carries the shepards crock that is commonplace here, but it’s probably a camel crock. His white headdress is held in place by a black rope, the camel rope. He looks incredibly smart and it must have been daunting walking into that room full of woman alone. But he holds his head high and walks the carpet and catwalk to meet his bride. Eventually they undo the three knots of her hood and he can see her face.
We left just after this as it was a work night and it was already 11pm. Apparently more men came in, family I believe, and they took some photos.
The whole performance, and that’s what it was, a beauty pagent, is so different to our weddings. A ceremony had taken place a week earlier which is the marriage itself, like a civil service. Tonight was all about show. I hate to think what it cost in terms of food, and her dress.
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