Customs and Traditions of Perak Malay Weddings

When we talk about customs and traditions, it is sometimes very sensitive for our society today because many of the existing customs and traditions have not been integrated with the requirements of Islam, the official religion of our country, Malaysia.

The concept of custom and culture for a society is essentially a way of life practiced by a specific group, covering social aspects, economic organizational structures, politics, religion, beliefs, traditions, and sometimes even attitudes and values. Returning to the original topic we want to highlight in this orangperak.com article, it relates to the sequence of wedding customs and traditions of the people in Perak since long ago, and what is proud-worthy is that many still continue these customs and traditions to this day. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, basically according to custom and tradition, there are

eight steps

that must be taken by a groom to marry a young woman from Perak. However, this is not mandatory, and most people today no longer concern themselves with it.

1. Merisik (Pre-engagement inquiry) - image credit nida-razak.blogspot.my

Merisik

is the first step that should be taken by a young man to marry a young woman from Perak. The purpose of this custom is actually to ensure that the woman he wishes to make his wife is not already spoken for. This merisik custom also provides an opportunity for the future in-laws to get to know their future son-in-law.

2. Proposal Delegation - image credit irosli63.blogspot.my

Once the couple reaches an agreement and the families want to unite the bride and groom within a certain period, the groom must bring a delegation to propose to his partner. This step is known as the

proposal delegation

carried out by the groom's immediate family. It is during this proposal that discussions and negotiations regarding the engagement custom take place. Many in our society today proceed directly to the engagement ceremony during the proposal delegation, perhaps due to the long distance between both parties, making it difficult to travel back and forth to formalize the new bond, which leads people today to include the engagement custom within the proposal delegation.

3. Engagement Custom - image credit ikahwin.my

The next step is the

engagement custom

. After the discussions and negotiations are conducted during the previous proposal delegation, the engagement ceremony proceeds with a token ring presented by the groom's family (usually the mother) by placing the engagement ring on the finger of the Perak maiden. The dowry for the engagement ceremony usually depends on the results of the discussions during the proposal delegation. Typically for Perak people, when the dowry is exchanged for the engagement ceremony, there is no need for a dowry during the wedding ceremony later. However, it is not a problem if one wishes to bring a dowry again, depending on the agreement of the families and the couple themselves.

4. Sending the wedding expenses

The fourth step to marrying a Perak girl after all the above steps have gone smoothly is to

send the wedding expenses

. For example, one month before the wedding and reception, a representative from the groom's side must come and provide the wedding money as per the value agreed upon in the previous proposal discussions.

5. Henna Night

Henna Night

is the next step, usually performed two days before the couple gets married. The bride will apply henna to all her fingers and toes, including the palms. Conversely, the groom only applies henna to the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of one hand.

6. Solemnization (Nikah)

The long-awaited moment has arrived. The next step is the religious requirement that must be fulfilled.

Solemnization

is usually carried out at night after the Isyak prayer for Perak people. Do not be surprised if there is a small feast held at night after the solemnization to celebrate on a small scale before the main wedding reception takes place.

7. Wedding reception and the bersanding custom - image credit shamsuriyadi.com

The couple will sit on the dais like a king and queen. The bride and groom are celebrated like royalty for a day on the dais, and at the same time, the wedding reception takes place, and the guests who attend will enjoy the food provided. This is the

wedding reception with the bersanding custom

.

8. Bertandang Custom - image credit homestay-info.blogspot.my

The last one is the

bertandang custom

. Today, it is better known as the welcoming the in-laws ceremony. Once the ceremony on the bride's side is finished, the Perak girl who has become a wife will be sent to the groom's parents' house for the ceremony on that side as well. Roughly speaking, these customs and traditions are almost similar to other states in our country, Malaysia. However, this is a rough overview for you, loyal readers of orangperak.com, to get to know the customs and traditions of marrying a girl born in the state of Perak.