Originally posted by Layla@Jun 10th, 2004 - 9:24 am
Houri: I am a 'thoroughbred' (just thought I would use a term that is kinda related to the great UAE) Persian, but I travel to the Mid East (especially UAE) quite a bit.
I have attended many weddings in Dubai and Sharjah, from conservative Bedouins to the more liberated business families. There is a slight difference but on a whole they are all very similar.
Last wedding I went to in DXB, the Hyatt ballroom was turned into a tropical island. I mean with fresh plants and flowers! It was so beautiful it looked ostentatious. Anyway, the bride was brought in with the singer Ahlam (UAE popular singer). I think there were about 1500 guests (Sheikhas included) and I bet they had mostly come to see Ahlam. There were custom made chocolates made in Switzerland with pics of the bride and groom on them. The dresses and jewellery of the ladies were fom the 1001 Nights. We just stayed till Ahlam finished a few songs and then TOOK OFF!
In Bahrain it was different. The bride and groom were at the door greeting their guests. Once everyone was seated, they opened the dance floor with a waltz and then the beat became Arabic. The bride and groom then took rounds and sat at each table making small talk with the guests. Totally different than the UAE, where the bride does a walk down the catwalk as if she were a model (to show her gown), and then sits in her "koosha" and others need to go up to her to congratulate her.