Traditionally in Uzbekistan the parent’s of the groom choose their son’s bride. The parents spend their life saving for the wedding. The groom’s parents go to the bride’s home to ask the girl’s parents if they agree to the marriage. But before going the parents will ask their friends and neighbors to find out what type of girl is she? They ask questions like does she cook well and is he going to be a good housewife or a good wife for their son?
Many of the traditional wedding traditions of Kyrgyzstan are still practiced today. Typically the bride is kidnapped by the groom and his friends and family in a planned attack. A man brings the girl to the future husband’s house, upon entering her head is covered with a white kerchief which is the sign of virginity. The boy’s parents then scatter ‘chachyla’ which is traditional bread, sweets and fruits over the new daughter-in-law; this symbolizes happiness and successful welfare between themselves and her in the future.
A popular form of marriage in Kazakhstan was via matchmaking and the purchase of the bride for a kalyn which is the bride-price. For the individual to enter into the marriage they must observe certain restrictions tied to the exogamic norms – social, national and clan/tribal denomination were required. If people violated the exogamic barrier they would be severely punished by the clan which could result in death.
Before a wedding occurs in Brunei the fiancé gives his fiancée between $1000 and $2000, known as ‘belanja dapur’ the money is used towards the preparations of the wedding. Preparations include the building of a special stage called the ‘pelamin’, which the couple sits on during the wedding ceremony.
A Burmese marriage traditionally doesn’t require a ceremony. The marriage is simply recognized when the man’s sarong is hung from a rail of the couple’s house or if they eat from the same plate. Dowries are not exchanged and arranged marriages are uncommon practice in Burma.
The wedding celebration in Laos begins with the engagement ceremony which is held on a day deemed auspicious by an elder of the village. The elder sets the date by combining the time and day of birth of the bride and groom and the Lao Buddhist calendar. For the young man to become engaged he must present the bride’s house with a khan ha, this represents that his family are good people, and that he wants to become part of their family.
At Cambodian weddings it’s traditional for the guests to be quite animated during the ceremony, with the elders of the community explaining the significance of various customs to the younger generation. Guests also move freely around the room, with some of them leaving the ceremony to stretch their legs.
A Malaysian wedding tradition which dates back many years involves the groom sending children bearing wedding gifts to his future bride. The gifts would include elaborate trays of food and origami. The origami would be made with bills of currency.
Indonesian weddings are not small events. Anyone that is slightly acquainted with the bride or groom may be invited, which could mean thousands of people attending the wedding. Most people do not attend the actually ceremonial but attend the reception. Before the reception begins the bride and groom will meet each guest in a long receiving line.
One of the most important ceremonies in the Vietnamese culture is the traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony. Traditionally, the groom’s mother takes a pink chalk to the bride’s house along with betel nuts. The pink chalk represents a vibrant and prosperous future brought in by the new bride. The betel nuts signify respect towards the husband and older in-laws.
