On our recent trip to review the best destination wedding venues in Abu Dhabi, we were also keen to understand the wedding traditions and cultural practices that shape celebrations in the United Arab Emirates. For anyone starting to research the region, our Ultimate Guide to Getting Married in Abu Dhabi offers a helpful overview of the legalities and planning considerations.
The Legal Framework
The government actively encourages Emirati men and women to marry. However, Expats can also get married in the UAE, either to another expatriate or to an Emirati, as long as they have residency. Non-residents can hold destination weddings in Abu Dhabi, but these events aren’t legally binding, so couples must complete the formalities at home.
The Milcha
The marriage, or “milcha”, is primarily a legal process. The couple submit a marriage application, pay the required fees and complete a medical screening for genetic or transferable diseases. The ceremony takes place in an embassy, consulate, temple, church or Sharia court. It involves payment of a dowry and the signing of the contract by the groom, the bride, her guardian and two witnesses.
Surprisingly, once legally married, the couple don’t immediately begin married life. Instead, they enter the “milcha period”, which sits between the legal marriage and the wedding celebration. This usually lasts around 12 months. During this time, the couple get to know each other under a chaperone’s supervision and plan the wedding party. Consummation after the celebration marks the formal start of their married life.
A Stricter Culture
Across the UAE, traditional values guide social expectations. Living together or having a sexual relationship outside marriage is prohibited for citizens and residents, regardless of their nationality or religion. LGBTQIA+ rights remain heavily restricted, and gay marriage is not recognised nor legal.
Henna Night
In Abu Dhabi the henna night usually takes place a few days before the ceremony. This forms part of a week of celebrations. The traditional henna party is exclusive for the bride and her female friends and relatives. This is an evening is often filled with music, food, dancing and of course henna. The bride will have her hands and feet beautifully decorated by the artist symbolising fortune, health and beauty.
Segregated Parties
Emirati wedding celebrations are segregated and usually take place in different places and on different days. The groom has a simple celebration with all the men. They will dress in the traditional Kandoura, a simple white dress. At this celebration they will congratulate the groom and share coffee and dates. Meanwhile, the bride’s party is far more extravagant. The bridal party spend time together in a special bridal suite preparing and dressing. They will then join between 300-1000 female friends and relatives for a party filled with dancing, entertainment and extravagant decor.
In keeping with the custom for Arabic women to be covered in public, modest attire is expected when guests arrive at the venue. However, once assembled, their abayas and shaylas will be removed, revealing glitzy designer dresses and decadent jewellery. You won’t see photographs of these parties; cameras are forbidden and taking photos at an Emirati wedding will cause offence.
The groom arrives towards the end of the evening, spending just a few minutes at the reception before taking his bride away to spend their first night together before heading off on honeymoon. The bride and groom prefer not to be seen after the reception so some venues have secret lifts and corridors linking the ballroom to the honeymoon suite.
Government Funds
Many Emirati weddings are big and extravagant, showing a sign of wealth, good luck and blessings. The UAE introduced a wedding fund to assist with the cost of weddings, this is available to those on lower incomes providing both the bride and groom are UAE nationals. This can be a sum of up to 70,000 AED the equivalent of £15,000. The aim in setting this up was to encourage Emirati men to marry Emirati women as well as assisting with the financial pressure of marriage.
Take a look at our beautiful venues in Abu Dhabi to find the perfect location for your wedding.