Photos Tagged: wedding blessing
Cambodia - wedding blessing - Battambang - people -
40 Pictures
18 Pictures
18 Pictures
27 Pictures
36 Pictures
The daughter of one of the groom's cousins. She was a little princess, but shy - always at her mother's heels.Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
The blessing ceremony prayers and chanting went on for hours. This older man gets his nicotine fix mid-prayer. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
The older man on the left was part of the bug feast the day before. He took a liking to Dan, always smiling at him and patting him on the back and making sure Dan was always by his side.Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
The monks finish their chants and descend to pick up their containers of food and return back to the temple. Money is also given to them for the blessing, but we were told this gets used for the upkeep of the temple and not for their personal profit. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
The happy bride and groom. The actual wedding had taken place two days before, but the blessing ceremony is required to make the union complete. The groom is a tuk tuk driver in Siem Reap and saved for two years to pay for this wedding. Several different people told us that a wedding normally costs around $2,000. When you are only earning a couple of dollars a day, that's a hefty expense. The groom (or his family) normally pays for the wedding. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
When the four monks arrived, they handed these empty metal containers to the women. At the end of the ceremony, in a sort of exchange for the blessing, the women of the family filled each layer with a different type of food - soup, fish, chicken, noodle salad. It was quite a feast.Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
Deep in Prayer
The bride looks over the prepared food to make sure there are enough for each table. Others cooked the food, but it's still the bride and groom's responsibility to make sure everyone is well fed and happy.
The stairs leading up to the monks' prayer room were steep, its wooden floor hard, and its air heavy.The older members of the community decided to spend the ceremony downstairs where it was more comfortable. Here, their attention never strayed. Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
As the monks led prayers and chants (broadcast throughout the village with a hefty sound system), the older folks prayed downstairs in the open air.This lasted 2-3 hours before everyone was invited to eat and sing karaoke.Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
Bowls and piles of food came on to our table after the monks had finished their blessing. On the right is Seaq Bo, the one who taught Dan to eat bugs. On the left is his uncle, who absolutely adored Dan. The other woman is another relative there for the ceremony. The food was fantastic. Our favorite was the grilled fish with a mango type salsa - tangy, spicy and refreshing to the senses. The sour soup and curry were also really tasty. We ate until we were stuffed, and then finished everything off with mango and sticky rice treats.
As the monks finished their blessings, bowls and piles of food were quick to the table. On the right is Seaq Bo, the one who taught Dan how to properly eat a bug. On the left is his uncle, who absolutely adored Dan. The woman to Audrey's right translated for him, saying My grandfather wants me to tell you that he really likes you. He thinks of you as a son.By the way, the food was fantastic. Our favorite was the grilled fish with bits of green mango and ripened mango salsa - tangy, spicy and refreshing. Sour soups and curry completed the table. As is custom, we ate until we were stuffed. We made some room for the finishing touch - mango and sticky rice treats.Read more about our visit to Battambang, Cambodia.
