Busy III & A Wedding

I was really, really busy handling my brother’s wedding last two weeks. After I finished my final exam paper, my sister and I went to Nilai 3 to do some shopping spree. As I volunteered to do the gift / goodies part going to Nilai 3 was the right place. Excitement was all around to do the shopping for my brother’s wedding.

My brother was getting married on the 23 of May, to a teacher from Muar whom he's known during his university years. Hence the trip to Muar which took weeks of planning and argument among my siblings since we want the best to this memorable event. My 4^th brother played his role to lead the Rombongan Cik Kiah on the chartered bus. However there was mini drama before the rombongan started the trip. The bus that was scheduled at 7 a.m didn’t come due to some problems with the bus. The representative from the bus company came to our house and ask us to wait for the bus to be repaired. My makciks were impatiently waiting and of course I could heard some murmur from a few of our makciks. Hence, I had to play my role as tuan rumah and a daughter in the family (my sister was already in Johor for conference) to prepare all the foods and drinks in just a short notice. We only headed off the at 10.00 in and school bus and not the persiaran bus as we charted. We exhaustively arrived at 4 p.m. at our rented penthouse in Muar. My brother (the groom) was anxiously waiting in Muar.

The akad nikah was scheduled after the Isya’ prayer in the mosque nearby. After another drama and commotion of missing bracelet for hantaran the groom and the rombongan headed off to the mosque. During the majlis Akad Nikah we were required to bring the bracelet and the dowry. The rest will only be brought during the bersanding. And finally, after only one lafaz, my brother is officially married. Congratulation to both of you!.

After the akad nikah, we headed to the bride's house for dinner and berinai kecil. I got a chance for the first time in my life to do the upacara merenjis. Feeling like makcik now! Then we had dinner/ kenduri of fried bihun and roti jala. Delicious but I didn’t eat much coz too busy taking the photos of the event.

We went back at 11 p.m to the penthouse and prepared to do the last hantaran sirih junjung and final touch to the other hantarans. The hantarans which half was made by ‘Sayang You” and another half was made by my sister in law were brought all the way in the charted bus. Just imagine how we had to take care of all the fragile hantaran during our journey to Muar.

On the next day, another ceremony of bersanding was held at 2.00 p.m. My nieces and cousins became the dulang bearers. Of course there were few adat we had to go through such as silat, toll and suppose to have pantun but since our brothers claimed not too jiwang to handle the pantun, that event was cancelled off (Takut nanti kitaorang tekebil-kebil nak jawab pantun). Then we were ushered to majlis bersanding, The bride and groom later went up the pelamin or dais for the traditional well wisher ceremony before continuing on to the celebratory feast or makan beradab. I definitely couldn’t resist all the yummy combination of lauk pengantin infront of me. He3X

After the bersanding ceremony ended, we headed back to the to our rented penthouse, pecked our belonging and headed back home.
All in all we had a great time. Not only we now have a new addition to the family (and another one involve in teaching line), my nephews and nieces were the ones who enjoyed it the most - getting to ride in a big buruk bus, they were so happy throughout the trip.

My brother wedding reception was held a week after on a sunny Saturday, 31 of May. Coincidently there were 3 other wedding ceremony involving our relatives. We expected not many of the guests will be able to come but the ceremony was a big turn out as hundreds of guests and well-wishers - my father’s friends, neighbors and as well as relatives from Kuala Lumpur, Jengka and etc came to the reception.

Due the shortage of beras and the rise of the price of beras the caterer didn’t prepare a tasty nasi minyak. They used a low quality of beras. My 2^nd brother who was in charged in handling nasi minyak couldn’t hide his frustration. He did remind the caterer many times to use a good quality of beras and didn’t bother if the caterer mark up the per head price. However the low quality of nasi minyak didn’t affect much of our ceremony.

The wedding reception held on the groom’s side was really simple ceremony but really a memorable to our family.