My Sisters Wedding

This picture was taken on Sandakan Memorial Park - The history place of Australian Soldier during the Sandakan-Ranau Death March (1942 - 1945) - A great article to read!

My sisters wedding pictures; last February 2009... The bride wear purple laced Kebaya while the groom wear a satin Baju Melayu (Malay Costume). Both are Malay's traditional costumes. This might be a bit different for you but its great to share the differences.

Since my family were mixed blooded with Indonesian and Philippines, our traditions were a bit various so its quite hard for us to use 100% Malaysian tradition especially in the wedding ceremony.

There were actually some of ceremony in the wedding day that we did not do during this wedding day such as Malam Berinai (Henna Night) where both bride and groom sit in the decorated stage with two chairs (just like enthronement) for them and guests will come one by one to the stage and shake over the rose water and some special potpourri onto the bride and groom's palm then mark a special powder on both bride and groom's fore head. The ceremony was called as Henna Night because right after the 'rose water' and 'special powder' ceremony was done, both bride and groom be henna on their palm and feet until the next day where the Akad Nikah will be done. The Akad Nikah is just like a marriage contract. The groom signs the marriage contract and agrees to provide the bride with a mas kahwin (a dowry, literally 'marriage gold'). The contract signing is done before a religious official and is accompanied by prayer.

The Malam Berinai (Henna Night) is actually traced by the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_wedding#Mehendi_Lagwana where Henna is applied to the bride’s hands and feet. In the right hand, a round spot is left open for Hathlewa.

The enthronement in the wedding ceremony was traced base on the Malaysian State Ceremony where a new king (sultan) and queen were crowned. Usually, the other name of Wedding Day here in Malaysia is Raja Sehari or One Day King because the bride and groom will be treated as king and queen just for one day (sound funny rite!). But, that's the fact.

Actually, there's a lot more Malay traditions especially in wedding ceremony that I don't really know and my family didn't really practice it for certain reasons (especially maybe because we were mixed blooded - Philippines & Indonesian). But it does feels like something is missing, right. After all, Malaysia; Truly Asia...

p/s: Links I provide are quite good to share with you... feel free to visit it!