Wedding day

Traditional weddings in Cambodia are elaborate, expensive, and loud.  They are very noticeable because they set up wedding tents in the middle of the street, sometimes blocking traffic completely for a whole day and night.  The music is loud and continuous.  Funerals are similar and sometimes we are not sure which event the tents are for until we hear the music.  Funerals can last for up to three days and involve a lot of Buddhist chanting over very ample sound systems.

The wedding couple change into several elaborate outfits during the daylong celebration.  Here is an example of the fancy clothes worn by a particular wedding party we observed when out for an early morning walk.  It is difficult to imagine the amazing outfits the couple wears.  Dave is reading a book about poverty reduction which reports that in many countries the poor choose to spend significant portions of their income on elaborate festivals--like weddings.

We were delighted to be invited to a wedding at the Church.  Indeed, Connie played the piano including Wagner's "Wedding March" ("Here comes the Bride"). The Church is encouraging the young members to forgo expensive traditional weddings and to be married at the church  They can then use the money they save to help them go to the temple to be sealed.  (That would be in Hong Kong or the Philippines until the temple in Thailand is completed.) A young couple in one of the branches did just that.  The wedding was similar to a church meeting “Did You Think to Pray” as the closing song.

The missionaries were asked to sing a quartet for the service.

Here are notes from Sister Fields's weekly letter - she captured it so well.

--We waited fifteen minutes for the person giving the opening prayer to go home and change into a white shirt (the branch president made him).
--We heard two talks before the bride made an entrance (one of whom shared from a Word of Wisdom pamphlet???)
--The bride entered from the overflow with the sliding curtains opening as Sister Spencer played "Here Comes the Bride"
--The theme was 80s prom, I think. That's the only explanation for the decor and outfits--purple and white balloons, and Bong Nuen and his groomsman were in white tuxes, checkered shirts, and bow ties  
--The flowers arrived half way through the wedding. They were beautiful.
--The rings were found, only after someone yelled on the stand "Who has the rings??"
--One very awkward kiss on the stand in the chapel. Seriously though, it took three times and the bride was still not having it. PDA is not a thing here. 
--The Elders and Sisters sang "Love is Spoken Here"
--Closing hymn: "Did You Think to Pray?"

People in Cambodia do not typically smile for pictures. I asked the couple to smile for this picture so that people will think they are happy on this wonderful day!

This is the entire wedding party. Even though the wedding was different than what we are used to, we love these people. This is a wonderful, faithful family.  We were impressed with the support of family and friends and the outpouring of love.  We received a personal verbal invitation to come and were so happy to support this lovely young couple as they begin their new life together.