WEDDINGS IN OMAN

For the most important day of their lives, couples are looking to Oman to provide the perfect setting for their nuptials.  Alvin Thomas reports on why the Sultanate is an ideal location for starting together.

It’s a magical moment in the life of the bride Meshael and her groom Khalfan: it is the day of their wedding; the day they mark their love for each other and tie the knot.

But, in Oman, marriage is not only a commemoration of the love of the bride and groom but also the building of a strong bond between two families – starting from the heads of the family all the way down to the youngest siblings.

Therefore, all the male members from both sides of the family are at the mosque – standing with a strength of 200 – for the ‘Melkah’ (or Mulkah).

And sitting in his finest white dishdasha, wearing a mussar of deep red with an ornate silver Khanjar tucked into the sash tied around his waist, Khalfan gives his hand to the mullah opposite him, who reads a short passage from the Holy Book of Quran.

Following this ritual, the two are officially married.

Next, the families and close relatives proceed to the elaborately decorated hall that they have booked for the ‘Urs’ (the wedding party) – where the families get together to celebrate the new relationship.

While the men and women are in separate rooms, there is no shortage of excitement.

On the bride’s side of things, the family members are all chatting while clicking photos and enjoying the sumptuous buffet. Meanwhile, Meshael’s friends are in awe of her lavish jewellery and the intricate henna painting that she is adorning.

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