Wedding is one of the most significant events in the life of every young girl. Every country has its own wedding traditions which include definite customs and principles of the right preparation for the wedding. Young women in the UAE also consider wedding as the most important and pleasant event in their lives. The preparation for the wedding in the UAE is a long process, and the wedding ceremony is the great beautiful act which consists of several stages.
The first stage is the bride’s preparation for her wedding. It is interesting that it usually begins when the wedding date is set, and it can last during forty days. Thus, he bride’s preparations require a lot of time and energy. However, it is the happiest period in a woman’s life.
It is forbidden to see the bride during these forty days. Only the family members can see her and help to prepare for her wedding day. Traditionally, it is paid much attention to her look. Different sorts of special oils and perfumes are used to cover her body from head to toe. It is also significant to decorate the bride’s skin with various henna patterns. Moreover, her hair should be washed with traditional extracts of amber and jasmine in order to make it beautiful.
The members of the bride’s family also concentrate on the quality of the dishes which she eats because it is important to keep her purity and even perfectness. The groom’s presents as pieces of jewelry and silk materials also contribute to such intentions. These presents will be used for her trousseau which is traditionally known as Alzehba.
The next stage of the wedding is the celebrations which can be held during one week or more before the wedding night. Nevertheless, modern pairs are inclined to celebrate their weddings less than one week. They listen to the traditional music, sing traditional wedding sings and dance in order to celebrate the happiest moment in their lives.
Moreover, these festivities are followed with the henna night or Laylat Al Henna during which the bride’s sisters, girlfriends and female guests prepare her for her first wedding night and decorate her hands and feet with henna which leaves dark red stains on her skin.
Furthermore, it is impossible to imagine the bride in UAE who does not use the Arabian Kohl or eyeliners. The usage of black eyeliners is also can be considered as a definite tradition which is popular for many years. This substance is usually taken from a black stone known as Al Athmad and is used to accentuate the beauty of women’s eyes. The henna night is the last period before the bride’s wedding night.
It is also important that men and women who are the guests at the wedding usually celebrate separately according to the Muslim traditions. In spite of the fact all the wedding traditions depend on general Islamic religious principles, the approaches to the ceremony can be different in various Muslim countries. For instance, weddings in Egypt can differ from weddings in Africa or India because of following definite customs.
We can conclude that wedding can be considered as one of the most important events in the women’s life in UAE. It is necessary to remember that all the peculiarities of the wedding in UAE depend on strict following definite Islamic traditions and customs.