| The Caucasus - My Journal |
A Day to Remember: An Armenian Wedding
Yerevan, 26 August
Then Saturday arrived...the day of the wedding. It's difficult to write about what happened...every aspect of it was amazing and truly unforgettable. To describe it fairly and fully would require a book, literally every sense was overwhelmed. The wedding really was one of those things that I just know will be imprinted clearly on my memory for my whole life! (Yep, I was nearly as excited about the wedding as the couple were!)
After a lazy morning of wandering around town then getting ready, it all kicked off at about 4pm. I was waiting with Teny and her family at their house, then the groom and his entourage entered, they were there to take the bride! Well, "take" was what used to happen, "meet" is a better word for what happens today. The two parties of people mixed, drank, ate, toasted and mingled for an hour, before it was time to move on to the service. However, as tradition dictated, when Garo tried to leave the house with Teny, Armen (Teny's brother) blocked the door with a knife (traditionally a sword). Garo and Armen then had to fight, but Garo had to lose. Garo then needed to slip some money to Armen, before fighting again, and this time Garo won, and could take his bride away.
We all then made our way down to a nearby hotel where a group of coaches were waiting to take the 100 or so guests to Geghard, the monastery where the service was to be done. And what a location! Geghard is a beautiful, traditional Armenian monastery complex. Carved out of the mountain, the monastery has been around since the 4th century and the main church was built in 1215. The monastery is in an equally as incredible area with stunning views across the mountains and valleys.
We all followed the bride and groom slowly into the dim interior of the church. Quickly, my eyes became used to the dark and I could take in the intricately carved and hugely atmospheric interior. As we moved forward, we were met by a priest, wearing a black, hooded robe and sporting a thick black beard. His very Armenian looks and theological appearance definitely added to the effect of the experience. He led the couple forward and began the service.
Of course, the whole service was done in an old Armenian dialect, of which I could understand nothing, however, understanding the words was not necessary. Watching the serious, but gentle, face of the priest, listening to his slow and ever so slightly melodic voice and watching the very precise rituals, it was obvious what was going on. Every so often, a small group of women sang beautiful a cappella words, marking certain points in the service. Everyone also sang along to a well known verse and the dark, ancient stones in the domed room began to warm from the feelings flowing out from the gathered friends and family.
The most memorable moment for me, was when the bride and groom turned to face each other, then pressed their foreheads together. They looked deep into each other's eyes and the Godfather gently placed a cross against their heads while the priest continued to read in his calm voice. With the whole group of guests watching on in silence, it seemed to sum up everything about the wedding, both the fact it was Armenian, and the fact it was about the joining of a couple very much in love.
After the service was complete, the bride and groom, who'd been facing forward towards the priest and the alter for the whole ceremony, turned to face the gathered crowd. We all then queued up and walked by to offer our individual words of luck and congratulations. After everyone had given their messages, we all filed out and made our way to the cliff-side restaurant, being led by the newlyweds and a small group of traditional musicians. It was only a short walk, and when we arrived at the restaurant, we were served drinks and canapés before making our way in to the tables.
Before we ate, the official civil ceremony seemed to be made, as a woman wearing a sash in the colours of the Armenian flag took their signatures. Then, after the applause had died down, the food was served up. A delicious banquet of traditional Armenian food, vegetables, breads, hummus...and of course, lots and lots of barbecued meats! Khorovats (barbecued meat) is an Armenian speciality and it was delicious. Of course, lots of vodka toasts were made by various family speakers during the eating. Even the vodka tasted good, a definite rarity for me seeing as I normally cheap the cheapest brand!
The meal went on for hours and each course was broken by dancing. A live band with traditional instruments played for most of the evening, with a DJ filling in the gaps while the band rested. Most of the music was traditional Armenian music, both old and current and the band were fantastic. Of course, I was dragged up to take part in the dancing even though I had no idea about the dancing style. Unlike western dancing, where people generally keep their arms to their sides, everyone seemed to hold their arms up in the air while rotating their wrists. It didn't look too hard but I find dancing a challenge at the best of times (I'm fine when I'm told exactly what to do, like in lessons, but when I have to freestyle it I usually come unstuck and start moving like an inebriated monkey). The legs also followed a simple but very foreign type of movement. Lots of people tried to give me helpful tips but in the end, it was more important to be taking part and enjoying myself, rather than getting the moves just right.
The festivities went late into the night before we needed to wrap it up to take a coach back to Yerevan. Pleasantly full with tasty food, strong alcohol and having had a great night, the journey back passed in a sleepy haze before I sneaked into my room to collapse fast asleep on my bed.
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