7 Things That Happen at a Lebanese Wedding

One thing is for certain with a Lebanese wedding: it is large, wild, and totally lavish! Lebanese weddings get the reputation for making other events seem like casual house parties, and they are nothing short of spectacular. These weddings require great food, a great location, plenty of partying, and a few other things to make them truly Lebanese.

Dramatic Photo Shoots

Plenty of pictures of the bride and groom are must-haves for a Lebanese wedding, and they are often in a garden or other outdoor setting. After all, how could you have a lavish, celebrity-rivaling wedding if the bride and groom aren’t treated like the royals they are? On a sunny, weekend day, you will often see Lebanese couples posing in parks with their photographer for countless upon countless pictures.

Big Hair

Did we say Lebanese weddings are big? Well, we didn’t just mean the guest list! Brides go all out on their wedding days and have their hair and makeup done in an over-the-top, grandeur fashion. At a Lebanese wedding, expect to see big hair and regal appearances.

Zaffe Dance Performances

With any Lebanese wedding, the goal is to make it as memorable as possible. One way this is done is with the Zaffe dance routine. The Zaffe is the dramatic entrance of the bride at the reception, and it begins with a dance routine with young men dressed in traditional clothing and the groom leading the group. Then the music changes and the bride is presented with cheering, clapping, music and more dancing. How fun!

High Energy and Lots of Dancing

Lebanese weddings are all about celebrating, and celebrating the whole night long. If you ever attend a Lebanese wedding, prepared to be exhausted at the end of the night and bring an extra pair of comfortable shoes. Because you will be expected to dance!

Car Parades

You can’t go high class without classy cars and a little bit of showing off. At Lebanese weddings, it is common for the bride and groom to rent expensive cars and show off their newly wedded bliss to everyone in the metro area. They are usually followed by an entourage of their friends and family, all honking their horns and demanding attention. The car parade happens before the wedding, after the ceremony, on the way to the reception, and from the reception to the wedding suite (or to the next party location!).

Fancy Guests

It’s not just the bride and groom looking fancy at a Lebanese wedding; the guests as well are expected to arrive in their best. Formal attire is customary at a Lebanese wedding, and this means tuxedos for the men and lavish gowns for the women.

A Long Night for the Bride and Groom

Many cultures around the world send off the newlyweds before the wedding is over or at the very end for the famous exit to the bridal suite or to their honeymoon. But at a Lebanese wedding, the bride and groom are expected to stay at the reception until every guest has made their exit. It is considered rude or disrespectful to leave before the guests. Lebanese wedding guests are aware of this, and most often will leave shortly after the cutting of the cake so the bride and groom don’t have to wait around too long.

Lebanese weddings are all about having fun and making a statement. And at the end of the day, who wouldn’t want that for their wedding? Take some notes from Lebanese wedding traditions and apply them to your own wedding day, even if you’re not Lebanese, and you will receive a wedding that is totally memorable and like non-other you will ever experience!