Diamond Studio Wedding Centre

Arabian Wedding and traditions

Fixed Marriages

Fixed marriages are a very common thing in the Arab world, since the traditions of Arab society and Islam forbid couples to go into love relationships without having anything official. The first meeting usually takes place between the bride, groom and their respective mothers when they meet somewhere, usually in a public place or in the bride's house, and get to know each other. The bride and groom and their chaperones will typically sit separately but within sight of each other in order to faciliatate getting to know each other

Proposal party

Is a reception made in the bride's house, where the groom asks for the bride's hands from her father, or eldest man in the family, and the father agrees, and the people in the reception read the Fatiha, which is the first sura in the Quran, and then a drink called the Sharbat/Sherbet, or a combination of Syrups, are introduced to the Audience, that is made out of both families.

Engagement

Called in Arabic as Khotba/Khotouba Ertibat/Irtibat. Usually the Engagements in the Arab world, are very much like the Wedding parties, but the bride gets to wear any dress she pleases. Usually, the dress of the bride and the groom match in colors. The groom and the bride then exchange rings, where they put the rings on each others right ring finger.

Katb Kitab/Marriage Contract

The Katb Kitab is the official marriage ceremony held in a Masjid, and starts with a Sheikh, or imam giving a small speech about how the Prophet honored his wives, and how to honor women, and how women should treat their husbands, and how to honor them, then the Imam, tells the groom to follow his words, and the father, or eldest of the family accepts the proposal, it is more or less like the Proposal party, but it is considered a more official one in front of Allah, and then two witnesses sign their names, usually the eldest men in each family, and they are now officially married

Henna Night

The Henna Night is very similar to a bachelorette party, where the bride's female friends and relatives join her at a house party called Henna, it includes food, drinks, and a lot of dancing, the bride changed dresses constantly, almost on each song, a band of females takes place, playing Arabic Music, and sometimes Islamic Music, all the girls would belly dance on these music, a women draws Henna, a temporary form of skin decoration, on the bride and the guests. It is usually drawn on the palms and feet, where the color will be darkest because the skin contains higher levels of keratin which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colorant of henna.