The Nikah (the marriage ceremony)
The nikah is the actual marriage ceremony. It was held at my family's house on the night of May 1st 2003.
The nikah is a ceremony between the bride's father or guardian, or his representative and the groom, observed by 2 witnesses. A certain amount of money, the mas kahwin, the amount of which varies according to the state the wedding is held in, must also be given to the bride.
One aspect of malay weddings is the tradition of exchanging of hantarans, gifts from the newly-weds to each other. The hantarans are beautifully decorated and presented on dulangs, raised trays made of copper or aluminium. The number of hantarans from each side must be an odd number, and the bride is to give an equal number or more than the groom. Typical examples of hantarans are clothes or material, perfume, makeup, jewellery, shoes, sweet foods like chocolates, cake or fruits. Some more traditional and customary hantarans are an arrangement of sirih leaves or a malay version of pot-pourri called bunga rampai.
These photos were taken after the nikah.
In a malay wedding, there are usually two receptions, one each for the family of the bride and the groom, although occasionally they combine the two. The bride's family's reception is usually bigger and grander.
My family's reception was held at the Perdana Ballroom of the Renaissance Palm Garden Hotel, located within the IOI Resort near Putrajaya on May 3rd 2003.
Azhar's Family's Reception
Azhar's family's reception was held at his house in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya on May 4th 2003. It was a simple reception - just a big lunch for a lot of people, with lots of canopies set up in the garden.
Graphics by
This shows Azhar presenting me with the mas kahwin of 80 Malaysian Ringgit. The money is part of the bouquet, rolled up in the lily flowers. I am wearing a baju kurung, a long skirt with a long loose top, with embroidery at the neck and sleeves in silver thread. Azhar is wearing a baju melayu, trousers and a loose top with a raised collar and 5 buttons, with a kain samping of songket (material with a pattern woven in gold or silver thread).
A closeup of me. We had the unusual problem of orchid overload - my father's friend gave us two huge boxes of orchids, and we ran out of vases to put them in and places to put them!
A shot with my family. In the foreground are some of my hantarans to Azhar. The basket overflowing with flowers is actually a cake!!
Azleena's Family's Reception
Us walking into the ballroom. I am wearing a modern baju kurung (the modern part being the more fitted top and the shaped neckline, compared to the traditional neckline of the dress I wore for the nikah). Azhar's headgear is called a tanjak, and tucked into his kain samping is a keris, a traditional malay dagger with a wavy blade.
The beautiful dais we are sitting on is called a pelamin. At the both sides of the pelamin are bunches of bunga telur, literally translated as "egg flowers". They are flowers made of ribbons and things, with an egg in a lace pouch. Standing beside us are our friends, Zarita and Sukhairi, as our pengapit, for which I suppose the equivalent would be the maid of honour and best man. Sitting in front are Nurissa and Haris, our flower girl and flower boy, borrowed for the occasion.
The purpose of our sitting on the pelamin is the receive the blessings of several chosen people, symbolized by their sprinkling rose-water, rice coloured with tumeric and bunga rampai on us. The job of the pengapit is then to clean off the debris and open and close our hands in between each person. This custom is called merenjis. This photo shows my father doing the merenjis. In the background is my friend Lilian, whose task was to give a bunga telur to each person after doing the merenjis.
Us and my family.
Just some other photos of us in various poses
I am wearing another modern baju kurung, and the necklace belongs to Azhar's mother.
Azhar and I, and our parents.
Many thanks to Nina and Tasha from S & S Bridal Collection for my reception clothes, accessories and makeup, and also to Herny for my makeup for the nikah and Azhar's reception.
