Lebanese Wedding
Conductor: Abi Kruger
Interviewee: Yasmina Azzouni
Interviewee: Yasmina Azzouni
When was the last time you attended a Lebanese wedding?
The last time I attended a Lebanese wedding was sometime in October last year. It was my first cousin (Bishara’s) wedding – he married Mary.
How many Lebanese weddings have you attended?
Almost all of the weddings I've attended were Lebanese. In total around eight.
What were the cultural differences from a traditional Australian wedding?
·I would have to say the most culturally different aspects of a Lebanese wedding to an Australian wedding would be there are much more people invited, since we have lots of cousins and extended family. For example the wedding we last attended in October, had around 500 people.
·There is non-stop loud Arabic music blasting from the start of the reception till the end.
·Usually when the bride and groom arrive into the reception, there is a bunch of guys wearing the classical/traditional outfit (eg: genie pants with a bandana) that start the party as they are introduced. They do a dance and bang on their drums – this is called the zaffe.
Did the wedding take place in a church?
Yes the wedding was first held in a Greek Orthodox Church.
What was your favourite part of the wedding?
· My favourite part of the wedding ceremony would have to be when the bride and groom are wearing crowns whilst walking in a circle with the priest. This is done because it is an Orthodox tradition and is also symbolic as the bride and groom start their lives together as one.
·Another favourite part of the wedding reception would be the entrance of the bride and groom into the reception room.
Why did the bride and groom choose to have a Lebanese wedding?
Although this Lebanese wedding wasn't all tradition, the bride and groom chose it because they are Lebanese descents.
What type of food was served during the reception?
The food was amazing! They had nibbles or starters of calamari, oysters and scallops, as well as the Lebanese usual of mezze – including tabouli, hommous, Lebanese bread, carrots, labneh and nuts. For the main they had a selection of steak with mashed potatoes and a chicken dish with a white sauce. My personal favourite was the large candy bar.
What type of dessert was served?
The desserts alternated between chocolate and strawberry mousse. The dessert was served after the bride and groom cut the wedding cake. The cake was also served per table.
What type of entertainment was in use?
Music was mostly all the entertainment of the night. This can be a good and bad thing. Good because all the Lebanese people love to dance and sing, but bad because after the wedding you’ll need a hearing aid. Probably ¾ of the music was Arabic and the rest was English.
How was the wedding decorated?
·It was absolutely amazing! The church was decorated with big white flowers.
·The wedding reception was held in Le Montage. There were candles lit on every second table. On our table we had a huge arrangement of pink, green, and white flowers. The bridal table was covered in the same flowers as our table but the flowers were used as individuals.
What did the bride’s wedding dress look like?
The bride's wedding dress was designed by Steven Khalil, a popular Lebanese wedding dress designer. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a floor length ivory coloured dress. It had intricate lace pattern on the shoulders as well as around the dress. It also had quite a long train. She wore a veil and held a bouquet of flowers whilst walking down the aisle.
What were the bridesmaids and best men wearing?
The bridesmaids were wearing a beige floor length dress and the best men were all wearing suits.
What style of makeup and hair did the bride have?
The bride had her hair up and had neutral makeup. She looked gorgeous.
Were there any cultural dances?
Not if you consider a bunch of oldies TRYING to belly dance. All I can say is that it was not a pretty site. The entrance of the zaffe was the most cultural of the dances.
What were the wedding gifts like?
There wasn't a bridal registry so we gave money.
What would you change about the day?
It was a beautiful day and wedding, but I would have had a break from the music or at least put the volume lower so we could all have a conversation whilst having dinner, although the music did bring a festive vibe.