زفافي

Malaysia

In the Malaysian tradition, the bride and groom are treated as "king and queen for a day". During the betrothal, the pre-wedding meeting between the bride and the groom's parents, the dowry that will be given to the bride is determined as well as the date of the solemnization. Berinai (henna application) ceremony is held prior to the wedding. The bride's palms and feet are 'decorated' with the dye from the henna leaves. Akad Nikah, which is the signing of the contract, is normally presided over by a Kadhi, a religious official of the Syariat (Shariat) Court. A small sum of money called the Mas Kahwin seals the contract. The recent trend is to hold the solemnization in the mosque as was performed during the Prophet Muhammad's (peace and blessings be upon him) time.


The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

As a tradition in the UAE, the setting of the wedding date marks the beginning of the bride's preparation for her wedding. Although the groom is also put through a series of preparations, the bride's are more elaborate and time consuming. She is lavished with all sorts of traditional oils and perfumes from head to toe. Traditionally, she is not seen for forty days by anyone except for family members as she rests at home in preparation for her wedding day. During the week that precedes the wedding, traditional music, continuous singing and dancing take place, reflecting the joy shared by the bride and the groom's families. Laylat Al Henna (literally, the night of the henna), which takes place a few days before, is very special night for the bride, since it is a ladies' night only.

On this night, the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna. The back-to-back feasts and celebrations involve both men and women who usually celebrate separately.


Egypt

has been exposed to many civilizations, such as the Greek, Roman and Islamic ones. The marriage customs of Egyptians make it easy for a couple to get to know one another, for the families meet often. It starts by the suitor's parents visiting his fiancee's house to get her family approval to complete the marriage and reaching an agreement, which contains two main items: an amount of money, called Mahr, paid by the suitor to his fiancee?s family to help them prepare the furniture of their daughter and a valuable jewelry gift, called Shabka, given by the suitor to his fiance.
The value of this gift depends on the financial and social levels of the suitor's family. When the two parties complete the agreement, they fix an appointed date for the engagement party. When the house of the new family becomes ready, the two families fix a date for the wedding party. The night before wedding day, the relatives, friends and neighbors get together to celebrate "the Henna Night". The next day, the marriage contract is signed and registered. After sunset, the wedding party starts and the couple wears their best dresses and jewelry.