Latest Bangladeshi Wedding Dresses

Latest Bangladeshi Wedding Dresses

Almost every weekend, someone is getting married. As a wedding photographer, I have the distinct pleasure of not only documenting their special day, but also capturing the emotions and festivities that occur along the way. One of the things I enjoy the most is the wide variety of weddings and the different cultures I encounter throughout the year. So for my first story here, I figured I would talk a bit about a Bengali wedding that I covered back in April.

Tahmina contacted me and was very eager to go over the details of her wedding. She acquired my information through a mutual friend in NY, and was set on having me cover her wedding. I was thrilled and excited. Not only was this an out-of-state wedding in the city I grew up in, but it was also my first Bengali wedding. Both Tahmina and Sajedur (the groom) were of Bangladeshi descent, and they both worked in NY. I am of Bangladeshi descent as well, so this was particularly of interest to me.

Now a Bangladeshi wedding is pretty far off from a traditional, Western "white" wedding. Instead of an elegant white dress, the bride wears very vibrant and colorful clothing and jewelry. Instead of a tux, the groom wears an equally elaborate suit, and a turban-style hat. The religious ceremony is pretty short and simple, but the reception is very bold and elaborate. In fact, the receptions are some of the most extravagant events you can witness at a wedding. A Bangladeshi wedding is quite similar to any traditional Indian or Pakistani wedding. The wedding celebration was three days long, compared to the one-day event that comprises most Western weddings. Each day had its own element, and served a vital purpose to the whole wedding itself.

The first day was an event called the Gaye Haloud. The literal translation of this means "Body Yellow." This is a very traditional event in Bangladeshi weddings dating back to ancient times. On this day, the bride, her family, and the groom's family all gather together and celebrate the bride. The groom is not allowed to enter this ceremony at all. This gives both the families the opportunity to come and gather in one place, and get to know the bride better. It also serves as a gateway for both the family and friends to meet each other, and establish a tight kinship. When a family member marries another person, then that person's family becomes your extended family... and the same kind of kinship is formed between the two families.

The event itself is composed of three elements. First, a turmeric-based paste is put on the bride's face and arms. Turmeric is an Indian spice (often used in many curries) that has a very yellow/orange color. In the old days, a slightly tanned or golden skin was viewed as a healthy and beautiful look for a bride. People applied a turmeric-based paste to give their skin that healthy glow, especially during weddings. This tradition has been passed down for generations, and is still practiced with just about every Bangladeshi bride as well as Indian/Pakistani brides. Now this ceremony is very similar to the Indian/Pakistani mehndi ceremony. However, in the Bengali culture, the turmeric has a slightly greater significance than the henna in a typical mehndi session. After the "haloud" is applied, the bride gets a sweet treat or dessert fed to her. This signifies the sweet nature of the bride andthe hope of sweet future in her new life to come. During this time, any family member who wishes to give them a blessing will usually do so as well. The third element of the event is the mehndi. Mehndi (or henna) is applied to the bride's hand and arms in very intricate and detailed patterns. Usually, a mehndi expert is called to apply these complex design and patterns. Some mehndi works are so beautiful, you would think they belong in a museum. After the mehndi is applied and dried, the bride can just wash her hands to reveal a dark orange tattoo of the design on her hands and arms. While she waits for her mehndi to be applied and to dry, all the family members celebrate by eating, dancing, and singing to the bride.

The second day's celebration is pretty much identical to the first day, except this time, it's the groom's turn. The bride is not allowed anywhere near the venue. Again, both the families welcome each other, and they get a chance to get to know each other, as well as get to know the groom a bit better. Pretty much the same events that take place in the bride's Gaye Haloud are replicated for the groom's side. However, on this particular wedding... the groom's side was a bit more fun as opposed to traditional. All the guys were constantly making jokes and cheering for the groom. The groom was not a big fan of having the curry-flavored turmeric paste applied to his face by hundreds of family members, so he took revenge on most of the guests and applied it to their faces as well. It was quite a show to experience.

The third and final event is the actual Beya, or wedding in Bengali. It started off for me like most other weddings I cover. I headed to the bride's hotel in the morning, and took some pictures of her getting ready. Now if you think getting ready for a Western wedding takes a long time, than you have no idea how long it can take for a Bengali or Indian bride. The garment has multiple layers and is quite heavy once worn. It has to be worn the right way, or else it will be difficult for the bride to sit or walk. The head piece has to be placed just right in the center, and attached to her hair just right so it does not slip off in the middle of the day. The multiple jewelry pieces made of gold, silver, and various jewels have to be applied carefully.. Getting ready for a Bangladeshi/Indian/Pakistani bride is easily a three-plus hour process. When I got to the hotel, Tahmina had already had her clothing on, and was getting her makeup and jewelry put on. I seized the moment and was able to get some very nice natural shots of her getting ready. Her immediate family was also in the same room getting ready and getting things organized. It was a special moment for me personally. It felt as if multiple people and things were just flying by me at warp speed, but the bride in front of my lens and everything about her was slowed down. It felt somewhat surreal. After she finished her makeup, we waited for the limo. During this time, I wanted to get a few shots of her alone. It was interesting to photograph her at this time. She was quite nervous about the day, but she also had a look of anticipation on her face. After the limo arrived, we headed off to the main venue. Once there, the bride quickly dashed to a private room, so she and her family members could wait for all the guests and groom to arrive.

The groom arrived about an hour later with his family, as well as his entourage of friends. Before he could enter the venue, the bride's family blocked off the entrance with a ribbon, and demanded that he pay up to see the bride and venue. This is a very common traditional ritual at most Indian-style weddings. In order for the groom to win his prize, he must pay. Sometimes the demands can be something simple as $50... other times it can be something outrageous like $100,000. The number I often hear from the friends of the bride is somewhere between $5000 - $10,000. Of course, traditionally, the groom will not have the money to pay for it up front. The fun part comes when his bartering skills are put to the test. He must barter with the bride's family and friends and get the amount as low as possible. Some grooms will write a check with invisible ink, some will try to give them an expired credit card, others will use fake dollar bills. It's very entertaining to watch the fun. Standing in the middle during this time feels as if you are in the middle of a war or riot:constant shouting of numbers, and who should pay what is blurted out. The groom's goal is to try to get in for free if he can, or spend only a few bucks. The bride's family is to get as much as they can. In the end, the total comes out to somewhere between $100 - $1000 in cash, which is usually paid by a member of the groom's family. I don't recall the exact amount for this wedding, but the groom got in after 30 minutes of haggling.

Once he is allowed entrance, the groom heads to his own private room. Here, the legal paperwork is taken care of. Like most other marriages, a marriage license and proper paper work needs to be filled out and taken care of to make it official. Once this is completed, the groom then makes his grand entrance into the reception hall. In this wedding, the couple had rented out a giant ballroom with a dance floor in the center of the room. The bride and groom sat in front, while all the guests and family had tables around the dance floor. Once everyone is seated, the bride is announced, and she makes her official entrance with her family as well. The bride and groom then see each other for the first time in their wedding attire, and then have a seat in their designated chairs. At this wedding, the family members for both the bride and groom then gathered around them, and the religious aspect of the wedding took part next. During this time, verses from the Quran were read, and the couple was officially, and religiously married according to the Islamic laws. At this point, both Tahmina and Sajedur were married to each other.

After everyone clapped and the noise from the crowd subsided, the bride and groom sat and enjoyed some performances from their close friends and family. Thisincluded various dances, performances, and songs just for the newlyweds. Like any other wedding, there was an elaborate cake, and the cake-cutting ceremony camenext. Once that was underway, the bride and groom finally got a chance to just sit and talk amongst their friends, as well as walk around and greet guests. The first official meal was served next to the new couple. A traditional Bangladeshi wedding meal is very extravagant and rich. A humongous platter was brought out to the couple, composed of a layer of rice (about three pounds' worth), stuffed eggs, an assortment of vegetables, five roasted chickens around the rice, and an entire roasted lamb to top it all off! This is quite normal for a Bangladeshi wedding meal for the bride and groom. Of course, this does not mean that the bride and groom are some mythical creatures or monsters. The family and friendship aspect is incorporated into every part of the wedding. Traditionally, all the friends and family of the bride and groom share that one massive meal, and eat along side of the new couple.

Once the ceremonies were over, the dances and performances were done, and the meal was finished, speeches and words were shared from family and close friends to the bride and groom. Next, the couple thanked the guests for coming once again, and the wedding was officially over. At this point, the majority of the guests had left the venue after a long and fun program. However, there is one last part that is quite important in this culture:the giving away of the bride. The moments leading up to the limo are some of the most intense and emotional moments during the wedding. This is when the mother realizes that her daughter will now leave her home to live with someone else, and she has to let go. Almost every mother I've encountered gets hyper-emotional during this time, as do most of the brides. Once she enters the car, she officially begins her new life, and the family wishes her success and a bright future. I loved this part not only because it was very emotional and heartfelt from everyone in the family, but also because ten minutes after she got in the limo, Tahmina was texting all her friends that she was now married. It was a mixture of high emotional sadness transitioning to new excitement of what was to come.

As a photographer, I thoroughly enjoyed this wedding. Not only did I get to spend time in one of my favorite cities (NY), but I was able to learn more about my own culture, and finally cover a Bangladeshi wedding. I've met great people along the way, and established friendships with not only the bride and groom, but their family as well. I had a blast covering this wonderful wedding, and I hope I can experience another one soon. Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience at a Bangladeshi wedding. If you like to get more info, or would like to see more images, please contact me. I hope you get to experience all the colorful, lavishness, and the fun factor of an authentic Bangladeshi wedding someday as well!