I have learnt two things not to do at weddings. One, never to get within a hair's breath of the kompang(drummer) boys unless you want your eardrums vibrating outside of your head and two, never to leave the hotel room without 2 kilos of sunblock smeared on your nose and rest of face in anticipation of the searing, relentless midday sun. Oh, and three sweat and photography are not to be done simultaneously.
Short of good photographs this time around for the lack of photographs taken from my camera I had a hard time filtering some good ones. But I did what I had to do. (Lia dear... I'm still waitingggg....)
It was about time Faisal tied the knot with Lilis because the way I see it he is very very very much loved by his (by now) in laws. He completes them. And with God's will and blessing may the marriage bring more love and laughter into their lives.
Durian Tunggal, the village where Lilis comes from is absolutely charming, quaint and clean and its grass lush and green. In the three houses built several feet away from each other within a large plot of land that slopes gently up towards the back live three families of relatives each within ear shot of the other.
One of the homes built slightly to the back is a lovely old Malaccan house with the typical and unique flight of beautiful steps originally built perhaps about a hundred or more years ago. It is now officially declared a heritage building and is protected by the state government of Malacca just like the 100 year old masjid(mosque) where the official marriage ceremony was held within walking distance from the bride's home.
The cooking for the feast on the first day of the celebrations was done to the left of this beautiful home under the big shade of some large trees. I saw at least 2 large (ultra large) cauldrons and other cooking paraphernalia under those trees in the cool cool shade and how I wish I had taken a picture.
Like all marriages it all begins with the official ceremony under the scrutiny of a religious official at the lovely, bijou and tiny village masjid.
Lovely Lilis looking beautiful and enchanting in white waited, quiet and patient, in a corner....
While strapping, fun and lovable Faisal, the second and youngest son of my husband's younger brother Nasrun and his wife Kartini, younger brother of Fir who got married earlier, had to do what a man had to do. He listened to a long paternal lecture from the official, made his promises, took his vows and signed the marriage contract. That done Lilis joined him, took her vows, signed the contract and kissed her husband's hand. They looked blissfully happy in the union, Faisal and Lilis. May Allah bless them always.
The bride's eldest and loving brother, the head of the family since their father passed on several years ago, and Faisal clasp hands as Faisal promises to be a responsible and faithful husband to his little sister Lilis.
In the cozy crowd, as the midday sun streamed in, its harsh light filtered and subdued by the stained glass that ran along the top edge of the walls, with the room encased in the glow from the midnight blue of the carpet, framed by the dark timber beams that ran across the ceiling and guarded by the stone and wooden pillars that stood like sentinels across the room, sat the cake that I made. Heh. Looking lovely. As lovely as the bride.
The cake.That I made. With blood, love, sweat and tears.
What are weddings without cakes and babies. Before and after.
That evening of the same day fireworks went hissing and shooting off into the hollow of the night sky while we made a lot of noise down below.
Lilis meets and welcomes Faisal at the entrance to her home. Faisal looks fondly and lovingly on. Both of them decked completely and resplendently in a combination of Baba-Nyonya (descendents of the late 18th century Chinese immigrants who have adopted partially or in full Malay customs/food/dress and use the Malay language in their day to day lives) and Malay dress.
The bride and her groom walked to the dais that was ready and waiting in Lilis's home for the customary blessings to begin.
The next day, blessed by a hot and blazing sun, Faisal adjusts his suit before doing the finale of the wedding celebrations, the bersanding (sitting on the dias as a married couple). Making sure he looked spiffy was his best man, my nephew, Fadzli.
The final walk with Dad, Mom ,(in pink at the back) little sis, uncles, brother, aunts and cousins making sure he gets there. No more looking back Faisal! This is it. I have never seen Faisal happier.
The very beautiful bride, Lilis, is as happy as he is. Resplendent in her trailing wedding gown.
The bersanding ceremony against a backdrop of roses. Perhaps life is sometimes a bed of roses after all.......
Yes Dad.... No Dad ....Yes Dad....no more.....they're on their own. Datuk Datu Nasrun blessing his son and daughter-in-law.
The cake feeding as always.......marking the end of the wedding and the beginning of a new life as husband and wife.
My favourite part, in addition the rest of the wedding.... the wedding favours..The bunga telur (eggs on a stalk) are given to guests. Beautiful crepe paper blossoms in buttercup yellow and moss green leaves.
The main wedding favour that encased more goodies inside. A box in bright tangerine and silver are gifts to their guests from the brides family.
And yet more favours for us!...Beautiful purple butterflies flutter on an opaque box. Inside are little Hershey chocolates...my staple food...YUMMMM!! This gets better and better...
Inside this little black case, extracted from the silver-orange box above ,were 4 pieces of treasure. 4 dainty cones of stretchy, chewy, sweet and heavenly dodol. YUMMMM!!!!!!
I think Faisal and Lilis are going to have lots and lots and lots of babies. At least that was the message Lilis' family seem to be sending. For this pretty, quaint and little yellow case contained yet another egg, in addition to the egg-flower stalk above, symbols of fertility.
Good luck and May Allah bless dear Faisal and Lilis with a long and happy marriage.
