Afghan Weddings
Afghan Weddings - an unforgettable experience! Shao-e-henna - the Henna Party the day BEFORE the wedding While the Qur’an states that weddings should be conducted within the financial means of the family, it is not the usual custom in Afghanistan. Many Muslim men marry relatively older in life, saving for years to be able to afford the engagement and wedding requirements. Islamic Weddings Weddings are elaborate affairs in Afghanistan. Even poor families will go in to debt, spending close to $20,000 for the clothes, the wedding hall, the food, singers, flowers, and photography. It is increasingly in vogue to deliver fancy wedding invitations, but unlike the six-weeks before-the-date rule in the West, wedding guests in Afghanistan may not receive their invitation to the affair until 1-2 days before the event.
Two newer customs making their way from the West: silver and diamond solitaire engagement rings and videography. Many a wealthy prospective groom in Kabul, Afghanistan is now presenting a Western engagement ring to his bride. Men who can afford it are wearing gold or silver wedding bands. Videography is increasingly more elaborate, showing a video of the bride once she is dressed, and following her and the groom all the way on their journey to the wedding hall where the guests are waiting. Islam does not allow for alcohol and mixed dancing at weddings. Usually, women dance on the women’s side, and men dance on the men’s side. The bride and groom will usually sit down on the women’s side, and not even appear to the male guests. 
What Afghan Brides Wear A bride wears some shade of purple at her engagement party, a requirement in most Islamic cultures – although this should be seen as a culture rule, not an Islamic rule. She may wear a green wedding dress as well as a white wedding dress. 
The wedding requires usually two dresses – first, the Islamic green wedding dress and then the fairytale-esque white wedding dress. Wealthier brides may have even more changes during her wedding gala to an evening gown. Girls may be married in the villages as young as age 8, but not consummated until later when she reaches puberty (if she is lucky). Below is a picture of a child bride. 
Afghan Village Weddings Afghan weddings which take place in the village will occur in the groom's home. The men will dance and eat and celebrate together. The legal aspect of the marriage will occur without the bride present. 
The women will gather at the bride's home, where there will be lots of women and girls hanging out to gossip, fix makeup and hair, and generally be involved in the excitement of the wedding. 
The men and women will stay separated during the entire affair, until the moment the groom goes to retrieve his bride and bring her to his house. Both in the city and the village, the car used for this purpose will be elaborately decorated.
In strict Islamic cultures such as found in tribal groups, it is imperative a bride never smile during the entire event. The reason for this stems from the cultural value of honor - the women of the family bring honor or shame on the family. For a bride to smile in public will cause her father to lose honor. Her happiness must be contained or people will think she is happy to leave her father's house. An Afghan wedding is a happy, loud affair, definitely a fun cross-cultural experience for outsiders to experience. Watching the women gossip, check each other out, and dance with abandon for an evening is a joy not to miss! General Information and Travel about Afghanistan I may come to live there - what do I need to know? Return from Afghan Weddings to Afghanistan Culture 
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