Like others said, Qatari wedding is an event that musn't be miss..and I will hear or read it with full of envy. This is the first time I came to a very close contacts with a hall full of Qataris. The ceremony was held in Sheraton Hotel, Doha. Before even we managed to go further, there's a security man asking our invitation card - no card, no entry..simple as that. And before entering the hall, there's 3-4 securities ladies inspecting our hanbags searching for camera or h/phone equipped with camera. You will know why later.
They all look pretty, trying to updo each other but in a jovial way. If you wondering why here in Qatar, a lots of shops selling dresses or gowns that you don't imagine to wear..well welcome to the club.
What I saw in front of me, I will never see it ever again on the outside world. I was expecting to see a room full of abayas but what in front of me, womens from all ages dressing up, nicely dolled up (of course few of them make me scares of my life). Since this is quite an big events, everybody try to updo each others in a nice way..And most of them really have a nice long hairs..how i wish mine are like that...and I'm not telling on how many LVs, Guccis, Diors and all the big names were around. I've been telling myself, I wouldn't recognised any of this faces if we cross in the shopping center as most of them will be covered head to toe.
On entering the hall, we were greeted with a lady holding a traditional incense burner on the right and another holding a bottle of oud (a typical arabic perfume). In the center of the hall, there's a runaway, and if you ever seen a runaway for spring/summer collections, this is better than that. Room full of roses and orchids, glitters everywhere..at the end of the runaways, there's a dais nicely decorated with taste, silver and white..and of course, flowers are every where.
Peoples chatting, music were played very loud that made quite impossible to talk, and only much later i realised it was a live orchestra played behind the runaway! Silly me...
While waiting for the bride to come (we came at 9 pm) we were seated towards the dais, servers come and go with trays full of goodies, from cakes and chocolates to savoury finger foods. Being polite i take one each time but reminding myself that there's a big buffet outside ...hehehehe
While trying to make some conversation, I saw few young ladies and children went up to the runaway and start to dance and everybody really had a good time. Few women walked up towards them and showered them with some money..it was fascinating..there's a few ladies with plastic bags on their hands picking up the notes that was thrown to the dancers. This money will be given to the bride after the ceremony.
Much later suddenly the lights were lowered, music were stop and a man talking fast in arabic, all women start to cover up, that's when i understood that the groom, father and brothers were here. I saw the nervous bride looking up at her groom, she look pretty and the guy gave her a kiss on the front. It will the first time and the last time i saw a local man being affection to his wife. Then it's the new father in law doing the same to her and the brothers too. When the mens left, other womens, start to came over to the dais and gave their blessings to the newly wed. Then showered them with more money...i can say, money is not their main problem here...hahahahahaa..after about 30 minutes, both of them left the hall ehem...of course we know where are they going..aren't we? At the same time, the same person announcing it's time to eat and it's about 11.30 pm..
The buffets was delicious. I befriended with a lady and asking here, what'sthe speciality for wedding here, and come to my surprise..it was briyani rice! Wow, definitely briyanis are universal. There's few choices of rice, briyani chicken, briyani keftas & meatball, briyani fish and in the middle of the table, there is a big tray, full of rice and whole lamb nicely "snuggled in the middle". It was very delicious, and in other corner, tables full of all sort of salads. Opposite side of the hallway, tables full of cakes, jellies and flan, trifles and huge basket of fresh fruits. But one thing that really make me quite dissapointed with them, this people take a huge helping of foods and after few spoons, they will just leave it..what a waste isn't it?
In all, I really enjoyed my first ever Qatari wedding, and feel very honoured to be invited.
p/s: I can't share any photos since no camera were allowed in the hall.
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