In Afghanistan, a very conservative nation, the vast majority of marriages are still arranged through family agreements.
Weddings in Afghanistan are one of the most important cultural events, involving a very scripted pattern of activities.
Prior to the wedding, the bride and groom hold separate ceremonies at their homes...the bride's guests hold a "henna party" in which non-permanent tattoos are drawn in ink, and the groom hosts relatives and family friends.
Once all guests have arrived, the men listen to a short sermon about marriage before escorting the groom into the bride's home. In Kabul, lavish wedding halls are often used in lieu of a private home.
The bride and groom sit together on a decorated sofa, and the party begins. People listen to music, drink fresh juices, and eat traditional desserts. A wedding cake is cut and tasted by the couple first, and then distributed to the guests. Towards the end of the party, a traditional Afghan dance is performed.
As the bride and groom sit on the sofa, they participate in a ceremony called "mirror and Qur'an". Covered in a single shawl, they are given a mirror which is wrapped in a cloth.
In privacy under the shawl, they then unwrap the mirror and look at their reflection for the first time as a married couple. They each take turns reading verses from the Qur'an.
Gradually since the fall of the Taliban, Afghan wedding costs have increased.
Since fancy wedding celebrations were banned under the Taliban rule, Afghan's initial desire to hold lavish parties was in part an expression of their freedom.
Now increasingly large weddings are used as competition between families who have become newly rich since 2001.
A groom's ability to borrow or raise the funds required for an expensive ceremony can also be seen as a personal test of honor.
Afghan custom dictates that all relatives, even distant cousins, be invited. At Kabul's larger wedding halls, it is not uncommon for a wedding to exceed 1,000 guests.
In theory, the size and style of the Afghan wedding are set by the families of the bride and groom after consultation. In reality, the bride's family often holds sway in this process, yet the groom and his family are expected to bear the costs. Lavish weddings in Afghanistan are known to exceed $10,000 USD in total costs, which might represent more than two year's salary for a groom.
Kabul now has more than 70 wedding halls. Some wedding halls now seat up to 1,200 guests. Several limousine companies have sprung up to meet the demand presented by the Kabul wedding clientele...some have imported used limos from the US to build up their fleets.
Many bridal shops have sprung up in the wealthy Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood west of the green zone. The shops charge an average of $600 USD for a wedding dress purchase, and roughly 1/3 of that total for a rental.
Weddings in Afghanistan are one of the most important cultural events, involving a very scripted pattern of activities.
Prior to the wedding, the bride and groom hold separate ceremonies at their homes...the bride's guests hold a "henna party" in which non-permanent tattoos are drawn in ink, and the groom hosts relatives and family friends.
Once all guests have arrived, the men listen to a short sermon about marriage before escorting the groom into the bride's home. In Kabul, lavish wedding halls are often used in lieu of a private home.
The bride and groom sit together on a decorated sofa, and the party begins. People listen to music, drink fresh juices, and eat traditional desserts. A wedding cake is cut and tasted by the couple first, and then distributed to the guests. Towards the end of the party, a traditional Afghan dance is performed.
As the bride and groom sit on the sofa, they participate in a ceremony called "mirror and Qur'an". Covered in a single shawl, they are given a mirror which is wrapped in a cloth.
In privacy under the shawl, they then unwrap the mirror and look at their reflection for the first time as a married couple. They each take turns reading verses from the Qur'an.
Gradually since the fall of the Taliban, Afghan wedding costs have increased.
Since fancy wedding celebrations were banned under the Taliban rule, Afghan's initial desire to hold lavish parties was in part an expression of their freedom.
Now increasingly large weddings are used as competition between families who have become newly rich since 2001.
A groom's ability to borrow or raise the funds required for an expensive ceremony can also be seen as a personal test of honor.
Afghan custom dictates that all relatives, even distant cousins, be invited. At Kabul's larger wedding halls, it is not uncommon for a wedding to exceed 1,000 guests.
In theory, the size and style of the Afghan wedding are set by the families of the bride and groom after consultation. In reality, the bride's family often holds sway in this process, yet the groom and his family are expected to bear the costs. Lavish weddings in Afghanistan are known to exceed $10,000 USD in total costs, which might represent more than two year's salary for a groom.
Kabul now has more than 70 wedding halls. Some wedding halls now seat up to 1,200 guests. Several limousine companies have sprung up to meet the demand presented by the Kabul wedding clientele...some have imported used limos from the US to build up their fleets.
Many bridal shops have sprung up in the wealthy Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood west of the green zone. The shops charge an average of $600 USD for a wedding dress purchase, and roughly 1/3 of that total for a rental.
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