Last night something happened that I’ve been waiting for for almost 20 years… My little brother and our close family friend got married! Ali and Amara* are both 19 and from the time that they were babies, we all knew that one day, they’d get married — at least we all hoped that they would. Well, last night they finally did! The only messed up thing about it is that I was not at the wedding!
Can you hear my heart breaking?
Amara’s mom and one of our sisters were also not able to make it to the wedding. Why wouldn’t we be there, you ask? Well, after several (annoying) wedding date changes, Ali and Amara decided on Tuesday night – while I was on the train back to my house, an hour away from my hometown – that they would get married on Wednesday. And I wasn’t able to make the trip back for their wedding.
When I spoke to my brother on the phone, he kept saying “I love you!” (as if that would stop me from being upset), and he kept reassuring me that I could still come to the walimah (or reception). I’m over it now, but yesterday, I was a little furious. I mean, who would want to miss their little brother’s wedding? I don’t know many 19-year-olds that have a wife rather than a girlfriend. So, I wanted to be there to support my brother.
When I got married, I wanted my whole family to be there. I always dreamed of having a big wedding and I couldn’t imagine not having all of my loved ones there. To me, the ceremony is what makes it a wedding, but to Ali and Amara, the reception is what matters the most. So hopefully we’ll all be there when Ali and Amara cut the wedding cake (which seeing how fickle they are about wedding dates, could happen at any moment!). And of course the most important thing is that they’re married – alhamdulillah!
What do you think? Would you get married without your family being there? Would you be upset if you couldn’t attend your close relative’s wedding? Did you or do you plan to have separate dates for your wedding ceremony and your reception? Which one is most important, the ceremony or the reception?
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Photo: islandspice
