What Are Lebanese Wedding Traditions?
Some Lebanese wedding traditions include a zaffe outside the groom’s room, publicly displaying the bride’s trousseau and a traditional walk from the bride’s to the groom’s house. In small villages, the entire town waits outside the house, while the two consummate the marriage.
Lebanese wedding traditions start days before the actual marriage. On the fourth day before the wedding, the bride walks through the village displaying her entire trousseau, such as sheets, linens, pots and pans. The next day is the bride’s evening, a party where the bride’s body hair is removed via a wax, melted sugar and lemon mixture. The groom’s evening comes the following day. He sits on a throne and receives money from guests.
On the wedding day, the bride and her friends visit the village people. Meanwhile, a zaffe is prepared for the groom, a raucous escort of singing and dancing family and friends who help to ready the groom and bring him to his bride. At the bride’s house, vows and kisses are exchanged before the traditional trek from the bride to the groom’s house with the entire family. Here, the bride places a paste mixture above the door on which the guests place decorations and coins. After the party, the village wait outside for proof of consummation of the union.
