Seven-day Emirati wedding in the spotlight in Abu Dhabi
Visit Al Hosn Festival for a first-of-its-kind shocwase of a traditional ceremony
Abu Dhabi: As part of the activities of the Al Hosn Festival currently being held in Abu Dhabi, a traditional wedding ceremony shows the customs and traditions of Emirati society.
Visitors can experience a traditional Emirati wedding at Al Hosn Festival recreated every night and running until January 22. Al Hosn Festival is celebrating the different elements of a traditional Emirati wedding.
The festival puts the nuptial ceremony, which is typically a seven-day affair, under the spotlight.
Visitors can be immersed in an authentic cultural experience whose gist is as under.
The proposal
The first step for any Emirati wedding is the marriage proposal. This is when the mother of the groom approaches the bride’s mother to request or express their interest in the girl’s hand for marriage. Once the request is accepted, the families then discuss other matters pertaining to the wedding such as dowry, which is usually paid to the bride by the groom. When the wedding date is set, the bride enters a 40-day preparation period, when she is pampered and showered with gifts.
The milcha or contract
Once everything is agreed upon, the families of the bride and groom come together for the legal signing of a contract in front of a male witnesses in a ceremony known as the milcha. After the contract signing is done, which includes details of dowry, the couple exchange rings.
Henna ceremony
Two or three days before the wedding, henna ceremony which is equivalent to a bridal shower in Western cultures, is arranged for the bride. This female-only party brings together her friends and female relatives, who shower her with gifts. It’s a night of dance, music and of course, henna. A henna artist uses a reddish-brown dye to create the most beautiful designs for the bride. Henna is considered a must-do event prior to the wedding day.
The wedding
Emirati weddings are segregated where there are separate ceremonies for men and women. These parties can be very extravagant, featuring a large wedding feast after the music and dancing has concluded.
Emirati women dress in special clothes and jewellery at the wedding party. At the wedding, guests are welcomed with coffee and dates before being served a selection of wonderful sweets. When it comes to the food served, it’s usually mouth-watering traditional local food.
How to get to the Al Hosn Festival
Visitors to Al Hosn Festival are encouraged to join the wedding showcase to learn more about the traditional ceremony and be part of a unique cultural experience. It takes place every night at 9pm.
Doors open at 4pm and the last entry is at 10.30pm with the event closing its doors at 11pm.
Tickets are available for purchase online. They are priced at Dh30 for adults and Dh15 for children (ages five to 12). Children under five and people of determination enter for free.