Sunday 30th November and close to 2pm on a bright and sunny day, Ainal's bride came with her entourage consisting of her uncles, aunties, nephews, nieces and friends, about 40 0f them to Kampong Banda Kaba, in the City of Melaka. The reception was equally noisy, again with the beatings of the circular kompangs...and they slowly marched to the reception area. The newly weds went straight into the bridgeroom's house for a simple bersanding ceremony where all his relatives gave their blessings while the king and queen for the day were seated on a special raised platform duly decorated. Then the bride and bridegroom were ushered to the special lunch area under a well decorated tent together with the rest of the bride's entourage. For the "King" and "Queen" the menu were extra special. Reflecting back when I got married some thirty over years ago, both my better half and I could not eat anything at all ! We were then too tired because for at least 3 consecutive days before this similar event, we were being asked to do all sorts of things customary....and it was energy sapping mixed with anxieties and headaches meeting our better half's strings of instant relatives via marriage. Ainal and Shikin must have felt the same, I suppose. Bless you, Ainal and Shikin. May your marriage be a happy one, now and ever after.
