When was the last time you did something for the FIRST TIME?

Last evening i went for my swim assessment.
My first swim lesson.
Yes. I stayed true to my word and i’m undergoing swim lessons at Farrer Park Swimming Complex with APS.

The trainer’s name is TERRY and guess what?
I’m TERRIFIED!

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On 07.07.07 i attended my first traditional Malay wedding.
Despite Singapore being a multi cultural country with racial harmony blah blah and the supposed additional duty of promoting upkeeping Singapore’s image (every citizen has a duty to upkeep Singapore’s good name), i am ashamed to say this is my first hand experience with this richly cross racial ceremony.

The solemnization begins with the bride and groom seated in the centre of the room, surrounded by family and friends and more importantly the “priest” equivalent of the wise holy man.

The holy man will then recite from the Quran and give his blessings to the couple.
Thereafter, the bride will retreat to the bedroom.
Smart move. Can sit down and relax, don’t have to sit and listen to all advise governing a marriage and family etcetc.

I couldn’t understand what was being recited and passed on to the groom, but the inner circle seemed to be only made up of men.
I can only bet it must be one of those “Husbandry 1101 how-to-keep-your-wife-in-check” crash course lessons.

I’m quite surprised to find that most part of the ceremony does not differ much from our traditional chinese weddings.

For one, they serve alot of sweetmeat at the ceremony, aptly signifying a sweet marriage.

Also, there are gifts from the groom

and the dowry all laid out on the bride’s bed.

The bride then kisses the groom’s hand signifying respect and love for him.

When all the hoohaa has died down, the couple will proceed downstairs to the void deck for a meal with the bride’s family.

The head of the entourage will be carrying a bowl, compartmentalised to hold auspicious items such as flowers, eggs and sweets.

It is also similar to Chinese wedding in that, after receiving the bride, the groom now returns to his home with her and undergo yet another round of well wishes.

I was kinda excited because of all the cooking that was happening at the void decks.
It is a massive cookout!

beef rendang, mee siam, curry puffs, sayur lodeh, chicken wings….

*slurp*
There are 3 types of people: Glutton, Gourmand and Gourmet. Guess which am i?

They arrive with an ensemble of drummers and musicians and to receive the blessings, they have a man performing silat as the groom receives a knife to protect his bride.

That is necessary when you have two crazy women trying to foil his plans to take his seat.
Me and di sat on their beautifully decorated podium and insisted on “angpows” before they can sit down.
The entourage then sent someone to “negotiate” with us and we eventually gave way after being threatened by the knife bribed with 3 angpows each.

WAA go wedding still got ANGPOW leh!

This is one very eye-opening experience for me.
How many times have you been awoken in the morning to the drummings of a Malay wedding and you got up all grumpy?
And how often when you see a Malay void deck wedding, do you think “Aiya so cheapskate, cannot afford proper dinner.”

Well, wrong wrong wrong.
Just like the Chinese lion dance troupe, it is their way of ushering goodness.
And it’s not that they can’t afford a 10-course shark’s fin dinner at a swanky hotel.
It is the “kampung” spirit, where everyone lends a hand in the preparation, the gathering of relatives sitting down for a communal meal just like the good ol’ days of the kampung.

Much more meaningful than the 10-course wedding dinner where your relatives come by with feign smiles on their faces, eat and leave you with nothing but just money, don’t you think?

Well, i guess some of us can live with that.

Now, ain’t she just beautiful?

Princess Dee