Planning An Arab-American Wedding: Traditions Meld

Planning an Arab-American wedding can be a stressful experience, with the guest list ever-expanding and the budget growing. However, it's important to remember that the wedding is not about you, but about the army of older women, or Aunties, who hold sway over your life. It's about making sure they're pleased, even if you don't know them. The wedding party is a representation of all the branches of the family, and it's important to make sure there's a big sturdy dance floor for the Arabs to dance dabke.

The guest list: who to invite and how to keep the numbers down

The guest list for an Arab-American wedding is not about your favourite people or your friends. It's about family. It's about pleasing the aunties, even the ones you've never met. This means that the guest list can quickly become very long, so you need to be strict.

One way to keep the numbers down is to limit the number of plus-ones. You could say that only married or engaged partners are invited, or that only people in long-term relationships can bring a plus-one. You could also consider not inviting children, which will significantly reduce the numbers.

Another option is to have a smaller wedding party and a larger reception. This way, you can invite more people to celebrate with you, but you're not paying for a three-course meal for 200 people.

Finally, be prepared for the guest list to expand. It's likely that people you didn't expect to come will want to attend, so be ready to accommodate them.

The venue: where to host the wedding, from a tent in the park to a hotel ballroom

When it comes to the venue, there are a few options to consider. Firstly, you could opt for a tent in the park, which can be a great choice if you want a more casual and relaxed atmosphere. This option also offers flexibility in terms of guest capacity, as tents can often accommodate a large number of people. Another advantage of choosing a park setting is the opportunity to incorporate natural elements into your wedding decor, creating a beautiful and unique backdrop for your special day.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more formal and elegant setting, a hotel ballroom could be the perfect choice. Hotel ballrooms typically offer a grand and luxurious atmosphere, making your wedding feel like a truly special occasion. They often come with a range of amenities and services, such as catering, decor, and accommodation, which can make your wedding planning process easier and more convenient. Additionally, hotel ballrooms usually have experienced staff who can help ensure that your event runs smoothly and that your guests have an enjoyable experience.

When making your decision, it's important to consider the size of your guest list and the overall atmosphere you wish to create. If you're expecting a large number of guests, a hotel ballroom may be a better option to ensure everyone has enough space to dance and celebrate comfortably. However, if you're looking for a more intimate setting, a tent in the park can be easily customised to create a cosy and romantic atmosphere.

Ultimately, the choice of venue depends on your personal preferences and the vision you have for your Arab-American wedding. Whether you choose a tent in the park or a hotel ballroom, the key is to create an environment that reflects your culture and traditions while also accommodating your guests' comfort and enjoyment.

The food and drink: what to serve, and how to make sure guests can handle their arak

Planning an Arab-American wedding can be a challenge, but it's important to remember that the odds of throwing a wedding that satisfies everyone are in your favour. The wedding party is a representation of all the branches of the family, so it's about pleasing the aunties and older relatives.

Food and drink are an important part of an Arab-American wedding. The food served is usually a wide variety of salads, meats, stews, sweets, fruits, and other Arab cuisine dishes. Food is considered one of the factors that reflect the wealth of the families of the bride and groom. Drinks are also passed to guests, and a traditional sharbat drink is served when the bride and groom are seated in the kosha. Alcohol is not usually served at Muslim/Arab weddings, but if you are planning on serving alcohol, it's important to be mindful of cultural differences and make sure that guests can handle their drinks.

To ensure that guests can handle their arak, it's a good idea to have a variety of non-alcoholic drinks available as well. This can include black tea, which is a traditional drink in Arab culture. You could also offer a selection of juices or soft drinks. It's also a good idea to have plenty of food available to help soak up the alcohol. In addition to the traditional buffet, you could offer a selection of snacks or small bites throughout the evening.

The music: what to play, and how to ensure there's plenty of room for dabke

Music is an important part of any wedding, but especially so at an Arab-American wedding, where there will be "spirals and spirals" of dabke. Dabke is a Levantine Arabic circle dance native to Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, and it's performed at weddings to high-energy tempos with a wide variety of traditional Middle Eastern instruments like the oud, darbukka and qanun mixed with electric guitars and keyboards.

To ensure there's plenty of room for dabke, you'll need a big sturdy dance floor. You could also include an ancient tradition called the zaffe (also called zaffa or zaffet)—the couple's grand entrance to their reception. This wedding march can include drummers, bagpipe players, belly dancers and men carrying flaming swords, followed by dabke dancers, the wedding couple and finally, their guests as they all dance their way into the reception.

As for what music to play, 80% of the night should be a combination of Arabic songs and dabke. You could also have an American DJ for an hour or so. Visit the band’s local events to verify how good they are.

Some popular Arabic wedding songs include those by Lebanese singer Joe Ashkar, Nancy Ajram, Amr Diab, Hussain Al Jassmi and Emirati singer Ramy Sabry.

The wedding party: who to include, and how to make sure you represent all branches of the family

The wedding party is not an assembly of your favourite people. It is a representation of all the branches of the family. This means that you should include all the important people in your family, even the ones you've never met. For example, your father's second cousin's former schoolteacher.

It is important to remember that an Arab-American wedding is about the Aunties. This is the army of older women who decide who gets to live and who will die in the gladiatorial battle that is your Arab-American life. So, make sure to include all the important Aunties in your wedding party.

When it comes to your spouse's family, they should have no problem blending in as long as they greet the oldest person in the room first and can drink arak without dying.

Finally, don't forget that the wedding party is also about having fun. Make sure there's a big sturdy dance floor for everyone to show off their moves. There will also be spirals and spirals of dabke, so get ready to dance the night away!

Frequently asked questions