Who says the Saudi government doesn’t have a sense for aesthetics?! A recent shoot for an architecture firm took me to a REALLY good looking government building. Take a look!
With all the legal and cultural requirements of a wedding completed, there is but one final function remaining in the long line of wedding celebrations: PAAAAARTYYY!! Ahem, sorry, I meant: the Walima.
Finally, the one you’ve all been waiting for! The climax of Pakistani marriage celebrations is the day of the Shaadi, the one day that has parallels in most cultures in the world.
Ah, the beautiful night of Mehndi. Colors, clothes, rasms, all blend to make this easily the most cultural night at Pakistani marriages.
So here we are. Planning has been done, the dates have been set. The families have now spent a few weeks shopping for clothes, gifts, jewelry and booking wedding halls. With just a few weeks to go before the wedding, its time to start having fun!
Peter of Smile Productions gave me a call literally minutes after I’d walked into my house, returning from a 2-week long vacation/photoshoot in Pakistan. There was a comedy show in Riyadh in a day and he needed me in Riyadh. Weary from all the traveling, I almost said no. I’m glad I didn’t.
Lets face it. The outside world knows little about the traditions and customs of Saudi Arabia. Even I, as an expat raised in Saudi, knew little about Saudi marriage customs until very recently. And my knowledge of what actually happened at weddings was all hearsay and rumors.
Did you know this was happening? I didn’t. But apparently the world’s best squash players were in Saudi Arabia last week, duking it out for the top spot in the squash rankings.
Stepping back into the footprints of your old life after an experience so completely different from what you’re used to is the strangest feeling ever. You learn and grow so much, and yet you suddenly have to figure out how to apply your newfound experiences to real life.