The girl in me loves going to weddings! There is something that is so beautiful about watching two people commit their lives to one another in marriage before God and the people they love most. I love weddings even more when I know how the couple got to the point of marriage. It’s beautiful to watch God’s faithfulness played out on the day they decide to start their lives together as man and wife.
This past weekend, I was honored with the opportunity to be a part of a wedding I will never forget. I got to watch as my sweet friend Lidya pledged her love and committed to a life of faithfulness to Steve, the man she has waited to know for many years.
When I came to Ethiopia, Lidya was one of the first people God placed in my life. She is my teaching assistant in the grade one classroom, and we became close friends quickly. She is one of those people that you just know God has placed in your life for a reason. Since knowing her, she has done nothing but encourage and inspire me. She has spurred on my faith and been a listening ear anytime I need her.
It was a blessing to watch Steve and Lidya’s love story unfold over the past several months. It’s the type of story that brings glory to God. You can’t help but acknowledge that God had His hand in every part of their story.
When Lidya asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding, I was truly blessed! It was obvious that I would have been there to celebrate with her on that special day, but to get to play a key role in the wedding was an honor. This day was unlike any other I’ve ever experienced. I want to try to paint a picture of its beauty, but I know that my words cannot do it justice! However, this is my attempt at trying.
The wedding was unique because it was filled with Ethiopian, American, and Jewish wedding traditions. My experiences with weddings come from the limited background of how an American wedding is orchestrated. But this wedding was very different than an American wedding. With the exception of the bridal shower and bachelorette party, the majority of the bridal party clothing, wedding vows and kiss at the end, nothing else seemed to resemble any wedding I’d been to in the States.
I knew from the moment I entered Lidya’s house the morning of the wedding, that I was going to be experiencing many new things! The day started at the bride’s house where Lidya was participating in a mega photo shoot with numerous photographers catching her actions at many different angles. She was dancing and laughing around her house. Her beauty was magnified by the look of sheer happiness on her face. It truly was a sight to see!
We, the bride’s meezays (bridesmaids) joined her shortly after her private photo shoot. We were instructed to dance with the bride around the house. The bridesmaids were made up of two Ethiopian friends, Konjit and Eden, another American (Lisa), and myself. Dancing in general is out of my comfort zone, but Ethiopian traditional dancing is really out of my comfort zone! Thankfully Konjit and Eden were there to teach us what to do with the traditional dancing, to translate for us, and to guide us through the whole process.
After our photo shoot session, the groom and his meezays (groomsmen) arrived to the bride’s house. The groom, who is American, entered the home to fulfill some of the traditional expectations. He entered the house, offered her a bouquet of flowers, lifted her veil and kissed her on the forehead. She then presented him with his boutonniere. The photographers documented this and continued to take pictures of the whole bridal party. We were then escorted out onto the front porch of Lidya’s home for a ceremony. The bridal party sat on the porch in throne-like chairs facing the audience of close friends and relatives. There was worship music playing and then someone gave a quick sermon (in Amharic). Then we all ate together.
As I sat there next to Lidya, watching her, I couldn’t help but thank God for allowing me to be a part of this day. I thought to myself, who would have thought a year ago I would have been a bridesmaid in my friend’s wedding in Ethiopia? I felt blessed beyond measure.
After everyone ate, the bridal party made a quick departure so we could continue our photo shoot at the Sheraton Hotel. Before we could leave her home, we had to bend down to kiss the knees of Lidya and Steve’s closest relatives to receive a blessing. This is a sign of respect and it allows the family to give their blessing in taking the bride. As you leaned down to kiss the knees, they would lift you up and give you their blessing and kiss you on each cheek to show their approval. It truly was a humbling experience.
We had a quick photo shoot at the Sheraton, and because we were already behind on schedule, we started to head to the church. We quickly went over the procedures and agenda for the ceremony, touched up our make-up, and got ready for the wedding. It was time!
The ceremony itself was unlike any ceremony I’ve experienced. After the processional of the bridal party, we all sat down including the bride and groom. The ceremony included a worship time in both Amharic and English with a choir, soloist and praise team. Then the pastor spoke about a prophetic word and it’s symbolism for the bride and groom’s marriage. Then vows were exchanged, the marriage certificate signed, and the groom also included the Jewish rituals of blessings being spoken in Hebrew while the bride and groom stood under a prayer shawl, and the breaking of a glass. The ceremony was sealed with a kiss, and they left as man and wife.
I was touched by the ceremony. The pastor’s words that were spoken to Lidya and Steve were encouraging, hopeful, and pertinent. The hearts and faces of the worshippers both on stage and off were breathtaking. There were many times where I caught myself looking at the bride and groom during the worship time and what I saw was joy! They were both so joyful not only to get to marry one another, but to just worship and praise the One who got them both there. I thought to myself, this is what a wedding should be about, worshipping to the Father!
The night ended with a dinner reception with some of her closest friends and relatives at a nice restaurant. We all shared a meal together, and laughed about the events of the day. There were many things about the day that we have to look back on and laugh about. It was a day filled with joy, love, and laughter. It was a beautiful beginning to a long and happy marriage, and it was a blessing to everyone who got to be a part of it!
