Musical Nights

Weddings in Macedonia are SUPER fun. You know all of those movies where a song comes on and everyone knows all the words and all the dance moves, and you are like, yeah right, if only we lived in a musical?!  Well, Macedonian weddings are kind of like a night in a musical.  

We had the privilege of getting to go to two weddings in September, and we had a BLAST!  The first was some friends of ours who live in Skopje. They are precious lovers of God and His Gospel which made this particular wedding even more beautiful!  The ceremony was gorgeous as was the bride.

Isn't she lovely?!  The guy beside the bride and groom is Alek, another friend of ours. He was the kume.

(The "kume" is the best man, and in Macedonian weddings, he is WAY important. To be asked to be a kume is a huge honor since there really is no one else in the wedding party. The kume is the wedding party all wrapped up in one dude. He is kind of like "the godfather" of their marriage and will most likely be the godfather of their children.)

The ceremony was very worshipful and so sweet.   Then, the party began.

Here are Amy and I waiting to leave the church. I LOVE this girl!!!

At the reception, the bride and groom wait outside, greet and take pictures with every single person that comes.  It takes a while.  While they are doing that, the guests that have already had their picture taken are seated in the reception hall and wait for the party to begin. Once the bride and groom finish the taxing job of smiling non-stop for over an hour, they enter the reception hall very slowly and normally go straight into their first dance.  Maya and Stefan, however, had the official signing of their marriage license at this point. Then both families and really close friends gathered around for a champagne toast to commemorate the moment.

 Then we dance and Dance and DANCE!  Everyone knows ALL the dances (different types of the oro) and all the words to the songs. It's SO much fun!

And what is a true party without a little table dancin'?

The other wedding we went to was a Macedonian friend of ours and his American bride. :) So fun!

They had a some traditional dancers perform at their wedding. So cool! (They also had a belly-dancer. I didn't take any pics of her.) 

Do you see Brian in the mix?!  

At Macedonian weddings, the bride and groom cut the cake, and then all the guests come up to their table to get their piece of cake.  The bride and groom serve every single piece of cake.  

And after the cake??? More dancing! It is the most fun EVER!  I love Macedonian weddings.  At the end of both weddings, Brian and I both smelled like we had just had a pretty intense workout. I guess that is what happens when you dance 4-5 hours in a non-air-conditioned room.  I will take that workout over P90x ANYday!!! I think I was made to live in a musical!