1. Marriage in Afghanistan
By: Jade Schilling
2nd Block

2. Customs and Traditions
Wedding lasts from around 6:00pm-11:00pm
Guests sit at tables
Bride’s guests on right side
Groom’s guests on left side
Throne-like chairs in front for couple
Arranged marriage
Ceremony is sometimes the first time the bride and groom meet

3. For groom: For bride: Age Physical appearance Physical appearance
Spouse criteria
For bride:
Age (can’t marry until 16)
Physical appearance
Character
Family background
For groom:
Age
Physical appearance
Education
Ability to support wife
Reputation
Character
Family background
**can marry first cousin, if there is a suitable one**

4. (to be)Groom’s father and elders go to (to be) bride’s house
Engagement
First, letter is sent from male’s parents to a member of the female’s family
(to be)Groom’s father and elders go to (to be) bride’s house
They bring gifts for to-be-bride
Groom’s father (or respected man from groom side) tells of their purpose and demand
Elder man from bride’s side receives the demand

5. Groom (or groom’s family) provides:
Before the Wedding
Amount of time between the engagement and the wedding ceremony depends on financial ability of groom’s family
Groom (or groom’s family) provides:
House
Dowry (wedding gifts/payment)
Expenses of wedding ceremony
Gifts for bride

6. Lunch Henna Before the Wedding Bride’s House Groom’s House
kind of like the equivalent of a rehearsal dinner in America
Large group of people
Many gifts are brought to the groom and bride
Henna
First put on bride-to-be (by groom)
Groom then leaves
Henna is then put on the rest of the girls who are not married
special-coverage/ wedding-traditions-in-muslim-communities-special.html

7. Marriage Ceremony
After the lunch, elders start going to the bride’s house
Soon after, everyone follows
Groom arrives on a decorated horse
Musicians play tambourines

8. Marriage Ceremony Once everyone is there, a marriage speech is given
Guests dance to the music
Mullah (holy man) is the one who marries the couple
Couple sit on a sofa
Couple has shawl placed over their heads and they hold a mirror
Tradition is called ““mirror and Qur’an.”

9. Marriage Ceremony
The wedding cake is first cut and tasted by the newly married couple
It is then given out to the guests
Guests dance for a while
They dance the national dance of the Afghans, the Attan
People congratulate the couple on their marriage

10. Bride and Groom go to new home
After the Ceremony
Bride and Groom go to new home
When bride arrives, an animal (sheep or goat) is sacrificed for Allah
Bride hammers nail into door because it is a good omen for the marriage
A few days later (either 3 or 7) relatives and friends bring gifts for bride

11. Works Cited
"Afghan Marriage Traditions and Prevailing Laws." Afghan Marriage Traditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar <
"Afghan Weddings." Afghan Weddings. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar <
"Attan Dance 2012 Afghan Wedding Attan Dance 2012." Afghan 4 Life, Web. 2 Mar <

12. Works Cited
"Cake Boss: Carlo’s Bakery – Hoboken." Cake Boss: Carlo’s Bakery – Hoboken : Finechinagirl. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "Cultural Embrace Travel Tidbits." : February N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "A Family Matter, Part I." Afghan Womens Writing Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "Interesting Facts & Information: Tourism, Travel, Culture, Language, Business, People. » Blog Archive » Afghan Wedding Traditions." Interesting Facts Information Tourism Travel Culture Language Business People RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar <

13. Works cited
"OnIslam.net." Afghan Muslim Wedding. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "OnIslam.net." Wedding Traditions in Muslim Communities (Special). N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "Wedding Traditions and Meanings." Marriage Traditions and Meanings. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar < "Weddings in Afghanistan." About.com Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar <