Bryan and Melissa Abbott Using Aviation to Make HIM known in Indonesia 
Happy Newly Weds and neighbor kids who love pictures
Weddings in Indonesia are community events. All the neighbors pitch in and for a non-Christian wedding, the ceremony and reception are held in the person’s home or a large tent set up in the street in front of the home.
The morning of the wedding, most all the ladies in the neighborhood got together to cook – butchering, seasoning, chopping and socializing. Another committee started the day before decorating the home with colorful sheets.
This particular wedding did not start till 8pm, but I got to take a “sneak peek” beforehand around 4… Brides in Indonesian rarely wear white, instead, they dress in their traditional tribal attire – this couple being from the prominent Kaili tribe. It takes the bride all day to get dressed and the adornments laced throughout her hair. By the time she is done, the head piece is so heavy that it is difficult to smile and often results in a splitting headache.
At 8pm, the yard in front of the bride’s family’s home was filled with people. Yet the actual ceremony was only witnessed by the closest relatives. Following the prayer time, the father of the bride was read the marriage contract and gave his blessing. Then the Wali summoned the groom and the contract was read, then the oaths were said. The joining of thumbs signified the marriage of the couple complete and the groom was allowed to enter the bride’s quarters. The groom entered, along with the Wali, and the bride was given a dowry and given the marriage license to sign. Once complete, the couple was considered wed. No “You may kiss the bride” here.
At this point, the groom changed into matching attire as the bride. Then they made their first public appearance as husband and wife. Once seated in their places of honor, all the guests got up and ate while the couple looked on. After the majority were done eating, the couple was ushered back inside for another prayer time. Again, the guest did not get to witness this.
Once outside again, the guest all ushered by to offer their congratulations and give them monetary gifts. After this, the wedding was considered over and the majority went home. I, too, went home only to discover that the real party with loud rock music was just beginning. This celebration continued till 3am and while I enjoyed the festivities, the cultural experience and the opportunity to build deeper relationships with our neighbors, the rattling of the windows and lack of sleep have led me to decide that one wedding was enough for a while!
Tags: culture, Melissa, Neighborhood, relationships, wedding