#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Indonesia Forum >  >  A simple village-style urban wedding in Jakarta on a rainy Tuesday

## kingwilly

Last Tuesday I woke up for work as usual and the missus reminded that we had a cousins wedding to go to. Great. Twas a cousin who was not particularly wealthy, not dirt poor either. I guess you might describe them as the lower end of middle class or the upper end of tolerably poor. So donning the obligatory batik shirt and pants we set off for their home. 

These days many of the weddings I've been to in Jakarta are held in ballrooms or function rooms of hotels, but more traditionally and in the villages the service and reception are held entirely in the home of one of the new parents in law.

East Jakarta has many small streets and since the homes are not large they need to put up a tent across the street.

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## kingwilly

Which makes parking a little tricky, so either a relative or a hired parking officer will direct traffic. Seats are always placed in rows ( I dunno why) and no need for tables.

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## kingwilly

Rich or poor a donation box in lieu of giving presents is always set up near the front entrance. 

Waiting tables of food indicate that the bride's family have been hard at work cooking.

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## kingwilly

Sitting around chatting while the men smoke outside.




And children play




Or more accurately hide from the strange white man.

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## kingwilly

Here's the beautiful bride. I'm not normally a fan of the _jilbab_, but I like this silver one.

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## kingwilly

Everyone has arrived now, including the imman from the local mosque, so let's get down to business. A small table is placed in an open room. The bride, groom, both fathers or perhaps an uncle will sit down at the table and act as witnesses.




close family and any _bule_ will sit or stand in the same room, everyone else will wait outside or try to peer around a corner or window.

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## kingwilly

Some sort of shawl is placed over the heads of the bride and groom and the wedding ceremony begins.

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## kingwilly

Some prayers are sung.




and then they are married.

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## kingwilly

Time to eat! 




This little urchin stole the fish carcass so she could gnaw on the tail.

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## kingwilly

I left before the Karaoke could start, but many Indonesians do not drink alcohol and it would never be served at a wedding like this so rarely do the weddings go late or any trouble occurs.

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## Sailing into trouble

No fuss no mess. Most weddings back home are a sort of haze and a severe blow to the wallet, and liver.

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## kingwilly

Indeed, no fuss, no mess. But everyone's happy.

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## nigelandjan

Shame that bit dont happen elsewhere ^

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## nigelandjan

Shame they still have that bastard karaoke

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## beerlaodrinker

Nice one willy, you are truly reformed after your brief stint in the doghouse

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## Davis Knowlton

Except for the clothing, it looks like many of the social events we go to here in my little valley.

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## November Rain

Nice thread, Monkey Boy  :Smile:

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## katie23

@Davis - I agree, looks like a typical wedding here, clothes are different, the muslim ceremony is different, but the rest, same-same...

@KW - very nice, thanks for the pics! Why didn't you stay for karaoke?  :Razz: 

@nigelandjan - what's wrong with karaoke? It's a staple for Asians, just like rice.  :Very Happy:

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## kingwilly

Thanks all, glad you liked. Katie123. I had to get back home (across Jakarta) before the traffic got totally mental (2 hours vs 4 hours+).

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## xanax

looks a bit boring, interesting to see though

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## GRUMPY

Noice KW.

I reckon a bule could just about make a living prostituting himself out as the "token expat" at Indo weddings. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Nary a day goes by without an invite arriving to my in tray.

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## barrylad66

nice one saint willy :Smile:

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## kingwilly

> Noice KW.
> 
> I reckon a bule could just about make a living prostituting himself out as the "token expat" at Indo weddings.
> 
> Nary a day goes by without an invite arriving to my in tray.


Yeah, true that. Or circumscion ceremonies. I've learnt to say no more often now.

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## Neverna

Nice one, KW.   How old were the bride and groom?

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## MissTraveller

> Nice one willy, you are truly reformed after your brief stint in the doghouse


Let's hope he can keep it that way. 


Always fascinated on wedding traditions in different countries. The food looks good overall.. what do they eat mostly?

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## kingwilly

> Nice one, KW.   How old were the bride and groom?


In this occasion the groom was younger than the bride. He's 24, though looks 16 and she's getting a bit long in the tooth at a 29 years old.

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## kingwilly

> The food looks good overall.. what do they eat mostly?


Rice.

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## nigelandjan

Suspect pictures Willy  :Smile:

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## kingwilly

> Suspect pictures Willy


Phone cam only. My real camera is broken.

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## English Noodles

> Sitting around chatting while the men smoke outside.


The obedient wives club.

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## Brunswick

That's a really nice picture_story.:-)

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## sigmatoc

I am from Jakarta. Yes, this is the most wedding celebration in Indonesia. Sometimes they also hire music dangdut band club  :Very Happy:

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## wasabi

Sigmatoc, a very  Jakarta name.
Smeg is a Hi So name I believe, in those parts.

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## kingwilly

> I am from Jakarta. Yes, this is the most wedding celebration in Indonesia. Sometimes they also hire music dangdut band club


Welcome to the buffalo board.

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