Iranian Wedding Traditions
BY Rafi Michael Babylon Weddings has provided information on various weddings
in culture, styles, just in case you are going to a different
wedding and want to know what is done at a particluar cultured
wedding. below is an Iranian wedding:
There are two stages to a Persian marriage. Most often both
take place on the same day, but occasionally there could be some
time between the two. The first is called "Aghd", the legal
process of getting married, when both the bride and bridegroom
and their guardians sign a marriage contract.
The second stage is "Jashn-e Aroosi", the wedding reception -
the actual feasts and the celebrations, which traditionally
lasted from 3 to 7 days. The ceremony takes place in a specially
decorated room with flowers and a beautiful and elaborately
decorated spread on the floor called "Sofreh-ye Aghd".
Traditionally Sofreh-ye Aghd is set on the floor facing east,
the direction of sunrise (light). Consequently when bride and
bridegroom are seated at the head of Sofreh-ye Aghd they will be
facing "The Light". By custom Aghd would normally take place at
bride's parents/guardians home.
The arrival of the guests, who are to be witnesses to the
marriage of the couple, initiates the wedding ceremony.
Traditionally the couples' guardians and other elder close
family members are present in the room to greet the guests and
guide them to their seats.
After all the guests are seated the bridegroom is the first to
take his seat in the room at the head of Sofreh-ye Aghd. The
bride comes afterwards and joins the bridegroom at the head of
Sofreh-ye Aghd. The bridegroom always sits on the right hand
side of the bride. In Zoroastrian culture the right side
designates a place of respect. Persian Wedding Spread - Persian
Wedding Sofreh Aghd
The spread that is used on the floor as the backdrop for
Sofreh-ye Aghd was traditionally passed from mother to daughter
(or occasionally son). The spread is made of a luxurious fabric
such as "Termeh" (Cashmere: A rich gold embroidered fabric
originally made in Cashmere from the soft wool found beneath the
hair of the goats of Cashmere, Tibet, and the Himalayas),
"Atlas" (Gold embroidered satin) or "Abrisham" (Silk).
On Sofreh-ye Aghd, the following items are placed:
Mirror (of fate) "Aayeneh-ye Bakht" and two Candelabras
(representing the bride and groom and brightness in their
future) one on either side of the mirror. The mirror and two
candelabras are symbols of light and fire, two very important
elements in the Zoroastrian culture.
When the bride enters the room she has her veil covering her
face. Once the bride sits beside the bridegroom she removes her
veil and the first thing that the bridegroom sees in the mirror
should be the reflection of his wife-to-be. A tray of seven
multi-colored herbs and spices "Sini-ye Aatel-O-Baatel" to guard
the couple and their lives together against the evil eye,
witchcraft and to drive away evil spirits. This tray consists of
seven elements in seven colors:
Poppy Seeds "Khash-Khaash" (to break spells and witchcraft),
Wild Rice "Berenj" Angelica "Sabzi Khoshk", Salt "Namak" (to
blind the evil eye), Nigella Seeds "Raziyaneh", Black Tea
"Chaay", Frankincense "Kondor" (to burn the evil spirits)
About the Author
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Center Wedding Photography & Video Productions Toronto we
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