Wedding Bells

At the invitation of one of the employees of the firm with which Nabil is working, we attended our first Turkish wedding on Saturday.  It was an evening wedding held outside in a garden setting, under a huge tented pavilion.  A beautiful flower arrangement floated on a small reflecting pool that was the focal point of the seating area.  At one end of the pool was a stage for the entertainers and in front of it was a generous dance floor. Centerpieces graced the round tables skirted in white tablecloths.

 In many ways, the celebration mirrored US customs.  Wine flowed freely.  A sit down dinner, featuring the obligatory banquet style chicken dinner was served.  The bride wore a white strapless gown, and short veiled headpiece edged in rhinestones; the groom a tux.  There were assigned tables.  Everyone was dressed to the nines.  There was the announced entrance of the bride and groom, the first dance, and a cake cutting ceremony.

The only and most remarkable difference between a Turkish wedding and a US wedding is that EVERYONE dances.  Mid point through the celebration, a scan of the room revealed that the only people sitting at the tables were the old and infirm...and even a few of them boldly made their way to the dance floor.  You don't see men dragged reluctantly to the dance floor to appease their wives.  Instead, men participate equally and fully in the festivities. Some even lead the charge.  Women, men and children sing, dance and revel in the festivities, from the first note of music that welcomes the bride and groom to the dance floor until the last chord  of music is played at the end of the night.  From traditional Turkish folk songs and dances to Latin rhythms, to sixties rock and roll, they sing and dance to it all.  There are no dour- faced observers holding court at the tables, waiting to escape unnoticed into the parking lot for a quick exit.  Instead, a wedding is just another opportunity to unleash the Turks' love of music.

Under a full moon, in a Turkish garden, we drank wine, ate stuffed grape leaves and halloumi cheese.  We traded stories with   new acquaintances. We danced under the stars, celebrating with strangers, to music that was sometimes unfamiliar and sometimes not. We toasted to love, to life and to the bride and groom...greatful for the opportunity to participate in such a rich and culturally diverse life.