5 Important Things in an Arab Wedding

Arab weddings are really in a league of their own when it comes to the list of dos and don’ts. And being a Maryland Arab Wedding Photographer for years, we’ve witnessed a huge number of Arab weddings here in New York and have covered quite plenty of them.

Just like, any other wedding, it’s never really possible to please everyone. However, if you just keep these important things in mind, you can guarantee to make your Arab wedding a memorable one—for all the good reasons!

Tulba

The “tulba” is essentially a formal asking of the hand. This event is more private, limited to the close relatives of the bride and groom. It occurs after both families have approved the couple’s decision to wed. At the tulba, the groom, alongside with his family members, ask the bride, with her family by her side, for her hand in marriage. The families then officially acknowledge that the two shall marry.

Engagement

Soon after the tulba, the couple becomes engaged. They become officially engaged once they have a small ceremony conducted by a priest. Following this, they have a reception type party with food, music, and dancing accompanied by all of their family, relatives, and friends! During this time, make sure you have the best Maryland Palestinian Wedding Photographer to capture every bit of event in your engagement.

Radwa

This event occurs usually a day or two before the wedding day. It is a small gathering between the close male relatives on both the groom and bride’s sides and it usually takes place at the bride’s family’s house. At this exchange, the men on the groom’s side make sure that the family of the bride are satisfied with the party. The male family members on the groom’s side also make sure to resolve any last minute issues before the wedding. After all of this, the eldest male on the groom’s side congratulates all of the male relatives on both sides.

Henna

This is a gathering between women on both sides of the family and it is held at the same time as the radwa. The party is traditionally put on by women on the groom’s side and takes place at the bride’s family’s house. First, the women on the groom’s side gather at the groom’s family’s house to set everything up. They knead dough in bowls to create henna. These bowls are decorated with flowers that adorn the henna which adds some color to the thick green substance. After this, the women fill small bags with candy, and then place the bags on trays, like party favors. Coin skirts and/or fans are also possible items that are passed out at the henna party.

Ferdah

The final celebration is the “ferdah.” This party is exclusive to only the closest family members/relatives on both the bride and groom’s side. It usually takes place at the bride’s family’s house. The bride’s family hosts the party and the groom’s side of the family traditionally brings fruits and nuts as a gift. It’s a smaller gathering, but still just as lively as the other parties during the engagement/wedding process.

All these traditions make for a meaningful Maryland Arab Wedding Videography. And if you want to make this event all the more special and be able to relive it for the years to come, let a professional Maryland Muslim Wedding Videographer cover you New York Arab wedding.