How to marry in Egypt the traditional way

[Ashtree0]

I went to the salon in the Sonesta for my hair and make up - hair was fabulous but they obviously didn't comprehend the word 'subtle' where the makeup was concerned. It took about 2 hours, they kept layering and layering it on and then gave my whole face a final dusting of glitter. I came out looking like Danny LaRue!

Definitely choose your own dress - I bought a beautiful floor length cream tunic from Nitya which I wore over cream linen trousers. It's your wedding too - try and maintain a bit of control over it.

[Ebikatsu]

[stuart+kay]

I think the Egyptians would view our wedding dresses, make-up and customs with as much amusement as you seem to find with theirs.

I for one do not find anything wrong with the dresses or make-up of these women who spend a lot of time and effort enhancing there appearance (in their minds).

Different cultures have different ways of dressing and applying make-up, diversities in cultures is what makes this world an interesting place.

On a Personal note I do not like any sort of make-up, perfume or cosmetic enhancements on women (or men) but each to his or her own way.

[Ashtree0]

OMG - that's taking 'guilding the lily' to the extreme. She's obviously a very beautiful woman underneath all that gunk!

Anyway - back to the point of a sticky for Orfi - Ebikatsu that's a really comprehensive and well informed posting on the traditional way to get married, however where intercultural relationships are concerned I'll bet 95% of them don't conform to the norms of acceptability in Egyptian culture. Plus that's not always the choice that some people wish to make. Maybe the sticky needs to cover the basics on the difference between registered and unregistered orfi's, guidance on the price of orfi's and some basic checklists on what potential scams to look out for? If I had the time I'd write some kind of survival guide myself!

[Ebikatsu]

I think the Egyptians would view our wedding dresses, make-up and customs with as much amusement as you seem to find with theirs.

I for one do not find anything wrong with the dresses or make-up of these women who spend a lot of time and effort enhancing there appearance (in their minds).

Different cultures have different ways of dressing and applying make-up, diversities in cultures is what makes this world an interesting place.

On a Personal note I do not like any sort of make-up, perfume or cosmetic enhancements on women (or men) but each to his or her own way.

These are not traditional Egyptian wedding dresses.

These are Western style copies which are all the rage here these day.

The difference is a traditional Western wedding dress is less glittery and with soft satin's and organza's.

If you ever felt an Egyptian copy it would feel like a very cheap net curtain with a box of hair spray coating on it. It stands out on it's own and is very stiff, itchy and cheap. Try touching one if you see one in a rental shop window and you'll know what I mean.

This is a traditional Arab style wedding dress.

[Rachel turner]

When does everyone eat?? with all this going on i would be starving hungry- ??? : : i think i will get a dress with pockets inside and put some nibbles in it.:P

[Ebikatsu]

OMG - that's taking 'guilding the lily' to the extreme. She's obviously a very beautiful woman underneath all that gunk!

Anyway - back to the point of a sticky for Orfi - Ebikatsu that's a really comprehensive and well informed posting on the traditional way to get married, however where intercultural relationships are concerned I'll bet 95% of them don't conform to the norms of acceptability in Egyptian culture. Plus that's not always the choice that some people wish to make. Maybe the sticky needs to cover the basics on the difference between registered and unregistered orfi's, guidance on the price of orfi's and some basic checklists on what potential scams to look out for? If I had the time I'd write some kind of survival guide myself!

They are beautiful women and that's the point. Why all the slap?

I think it must be because of the obsession to have the face white. Like a blank canvas and then you would have to fill in the Gary Glitter eyebrows and other facial features like lips which would be coated in the porcelain cement, so they would show up.

I'm sure if they didn't have the white slap on their make up would be a lot more natural.

As to the orfi I have been thinking of doing a survival guide myself after some of the stuff you read here and some of the questions asked.



I will do an orfi one tomorrow.

[Ebikatsu]

When does everyone eat?? with all this going on i would be starving hungry- ??? : : i think i will get a dress with pockets inside and put some nibbles in it.:P

The girlies hen night there is food laid on.

The wedding is usually at sunset. The bride spends the afternoon in the coiffure and is usually picked up by the groom from there in the wedding car covered in Christmas lights and flowers. They then go straight to the photographer before the make up runs in the heat to have the photo's done. The guests all follow in their cars honking horns all the way. The one of two things happen. If they are rich they go to the hotel reception and all go wild with karaoke, singers, entertainers, sometimes a belly dancer. Lots of buffet is served there.
If there is not such wealth, then the wedding party drives around the streets, local village followed by the friends and sit in the local park on the grass. In Cairo is it quite common for the wedding party to sit on traffic roundabouts, or on highway junctions if there is grass or trees. Loads of photos are taken. Then they go to the groom/brides home and see them inside the home. Following morning the couple rise early to greet their guests and sometimes the sheets of the bed are checked for blood!! The house is usually filled with guests for about a week and each bringing food of some type.
On the first morning after the nuptuals the MIL will take 2 cooked chickens to be eaten by the couple to replenish their energy from the bedroom activity the night before
Usually the brides family will sacrifice a cow and that will be eaten and shared.

Lots of fruit and sweets are available by the couple for visitors who come in waves for the week.

If it is a village wedding the night before the wedding after the girls are henna'd and waxed, the brides dowry and gifts are loaded onto a truck or on big silver salvers on the friends heads, and paraded through the village to show off how many things she has . The whole thing from start to finish is celebrated with zagreet a custom handed down by the ancient Egyptians. A kind of high pitched trilling sound.

If you are in Boots buy at least 2 pairs of very good ear plugs before leaving UK

[Rachel turner]

Do you think the roundabout wil be finished in Ramla :d2: :d2: :d2:
that would be my venue ....The car with the lights on top would the motorbike do ??
sounds very hectic .- we will be in the village somewhere -
Thinking about the food ..probably i would need the sacrificed cow after a night with my husband .....:oops:;)

[Mimimay]

I like the eye make up It's just the too pale foundation and the too heavily outlined lips I'm not keen on. Enhance your eyes !!!!

[Mimimay]

When ever I've been to family weddings we have eaten with the whole family before the wedding


Ebi don't forget they feed the newly weds pigeon

[JOJO]

I dont mind drinking tea and getting involved with the ladies with harmless nail painting .:lol::lol:

Nail painting with Egyptian ladies is never harmless!!

I ended up with Hooker red toe and finger nails on my wedding night.

My sister in law did my hair and makeup and I can honestly say I don't think I've ever looked so odd in all my life. Felt like Alice Cooper.

Oh please Goddess give us a quick peek at your wedding photos!!!

[jewel]

I always think that with the poverty that prevails in parts of Egypt it is quite bizzare to lavish so much on the wedding. When I lived there of course we were "forced" to attend the ceremonies, which were ear splittingly (and head splittingly) loud, (why DO they have everything at top volume and that terrible wobbly microphone announcements? and I was always bemused by the amount and variety of intoxicants freely available - and a muslim do too!!



This is a more westernised coptic ceremony and one in Luxor
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[Goddess]

I dont mind drinking tea and getting involved with the ladies with harmless nail painting .:lol::lol:

Nail painting with Egyptian ladies is never harmless!!

I ended up with Hooker red toe and finger nails on my wedding night.

My sister in law did my hair and makeup and I can honestly say I don't think I've ever looked so odd in all my life. Felt like Alice Cooper.

Oh please Goddess give us a quick peek at your wedding photos!!!

Never! I'll die and be dug up twice before I show those horrors to anyone!

Kronkite:
Regarding eating - on my wedding day (well party day - I was really married legally a month before but not able to live together until we had the party) we all (well all the women, I think, but it's a bit hazy) had lunch together at about 4pm. Beats me what it was we ate, really don't remember much about that bit at all. Then we started getting ready.
The wedding was due to start at 8pm - but as usual, nothing ever happens on time, meanwhile I'm sitting dressed and made up waiting .... and waiting .... while all these ladies popped in and out and said hello.
Then the drummers and Mr G arrived and I was led down 4 fl8ights of rickety stairs in the worlds biggest ever dress with a hoop that caused me all sorts of problems on the stairs. At the entrance of the building we had a big hoopla as the drummers carried on playing for 20 mins or so before we got in the car and went off to the reception. I think we just had cake and a drink at the reception - but I don't actually remember drinking cake. I do remember slopping drink down my dress though.
After the reception you normally go out for a drive with all the beeping horns and to have daft pictures taken against silly statues. The reason for the crazy drive is that, while the bride and groom are doing that - the mothers hot foot it over to your bridal home and get the meal ready and lay it all out - even though this is a ridiculous time by now.
The fridge and the freezer will also be chockablock full of chicken and meat - because in theory you're not supposed to leave the house for 3 days while you have your 'honeymoon'

[Ebikatsu]

Oh God you just reminded me Goddess when you said photos.

The photography shop 'photoshops' the pics!!!

in your album you will have photos like you are standing at the Eiffel Tower, in front of an Olde English fireplace, a rodeo, liek you are sitting in two glasses of Champagne!!
OMG!! , sepia and all sorts of horrific touch ups!!

[BENNU]

- Doubt that I'll ever get married, but if I'd do so in Upper Egypt, I'd do my own MAC-makeup, a stage makeup expressing who I am rather than a mask covering my personality, and I'd design my own dress, which would probably be oriental anyway (And reusable by ME as an evening dress).

- I wouldn't miss the atmosphere at the hairdresser, though, just borrow the mirror and let them watch and concentrate on the young girls, while I'd take care of my Scandinavian eyes, complexion and hair, getting ready to dance for the girls - MY choreography to MY choice of classical Egyptian music. I'm sure all this would be appreciated as an official step towards a serious cultural meeting. I'd want it to be tastefull in my own eyes AND traditional in everybody else's. Believe it would work and be a wonderful memory, especially for me.

- Just getting carried away! I don't even have a PG. :nn

- Probably best that way...

[Ebikatsu]

oh sad news on the TV today

41 women and children burned alive and the same amount critical when a celebration tent at Kuwaiti wedding went up in flames.

Horrible images and ministers saying everything was flammable and they would prosecute the minister responsible for allowing that to happen.

Dreadful................

[Hesi-Ra]

As an upper egyptian man and also a father who had recently his daughter married I do advice the pride the following points:
-Thorough investigation about the pg and his family
-both should cpe with each other (love should exicist)
- buying her own wedding dress and make up kit
-I also insist that they have to accept all terms discussed from the beginning between both families

[stratagems]

How often do engagements fall through? How long before the party do couples usually get legally married? I assume there might be a slightly difference if comparing Cairo to a Luxor village (maybe there isn't).

[lotusflower]

Between Muslim and Muslim in Egypt.
I did hear of one case where a guy was engaged to a girl from Cairo and they then both decided to end the engagement as he felt that they were both unsuited to each other once they got to know each other a little better after the engagement.

As far as I know and from what I have seen and from certain people whose engagement and wedding parties I have attended the time between the engagement party and the actually wedding party can be anytime from one month to one year or even later. Both couples sign the registry before the Imman (head of the Mosque) before the big white wedding party.