Even though I have lived in the UAE for one year and a half already, I just recently discovered more about the Emirati weddings. Thanks to my job as a photographer I had the priviledge to attend a few local celebrations.
Here are a few things that surprised me the most:
- The bride and the groom don’t celebrate together. They have two completey different gatherings in different places. Not even little boys are allowed to be at the women’s party.
- In front of the entrance of the ballroom there is a table with different perfumes, but most importantly the Bakhoor. It’s a mix of woodchips and fragrant oils that are burnt and the women love exposing their clothes and hair to the thick smoke in order to boost positive energy and dismiss bad spirtis.
- Many women still remain covered up during the celebration even though there are not any men around and all the staff is female. DJ included. This is especially true for the elderly women.
- When everyone has arrived the bride makes her entrance walking very very slowly until she reaches her designated place – usually a sofa on a beautifully decorated stage. She sits there the whole time and people go to her to say hi and take a photo.
- Women generally don’t want to be photographed during Emirati weddings. Many of them come specificaly to me to remind me not to take any photos. This means that I don’t take photos while the guests arrive or when they dance or their reaction when the bride walks in. Which kind of makes me feel that I am not doing my job.
- Only Arabic music is played. I still haven’t heard any other music on any of the gatherings where I have been. Even though the songs are very lively and rhytmic the guest don’t go crazy and remain quite serious. The bride is the ones who dances the least and she never seems too excited. Apparently, since she is also leaving her family, she’d better not seem too happy about it. Here is one of the most popular hits which makes everyone dance – Naz Nakon.
- In both the engagement party and the following wedding party the groom makes a short appearance. He joins the bride on the stage and it’s another moment for me when I can take some photos of everyone together. The biggest sign of affection is them holding hands and they are still very shy about it.
- The bride wears the most specal dress ever and is covered in kilograms of shiny gold. The man, on the contrary, is dressed as every day – white kandura and sandals.
- Some of the bride’s friends and relatives throw small banknotes at her for a good luck. In Bulgaria we do this as well after the ceremony (with small coins) and everyone tries to get one as it’s auspicious but in the Emirati weddings only the maids do that.
