Singapore’s rich cultural heritage of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and other ethnicities make weddings really special, steeped in culture. Every ethnic group shares their ancient wedding rituals to bless the newlyweds with fertility and happiness. Many of these traditional wedding rites are embraced by modern couples along with their families because they herald an auspicious beginning to a long and loving union.
These colourful time-honoured traditions are full of joy and blessings for the newlyweds; they bind us together across generations and are at the heart of our unique Singaporean heritage. If you are lucky enough to visit some wedding venues in Singapore you will see these wonderful ancient rites still playing out today!
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular of these Singaporean wedding traditions!
Tang Yuan (Chinese) – After the groom has brought the bride home on their wedding day, Chinese couples feed each other a bowl of sweet tang yuan glutinous rice balls to symbolise their togetherness and family harmony. These sweet beginnings are a joyful first meal for the couple to share in their new life together.
Mehndi Ceremony (Indian) – Mehndi, also known as henna, is a reddish natural dye produced from the henna plant that has been in use for centuries to create ornate body art. During the Mehndi ceremony, the Hindu and Sikh brides are adorned with special Mehndi designs to beautify and bless them prior to the wedding. The Mehndi ceremony takes place the day before the wedding actually happens, and is a light-hearted party for the bride- here in modern times, the groom is also allowed to participate, with two separate ceremonies held at the bride and groom’s residences. Intricate henna patterns are applied to the happy couple’s palms, the back of their hands, and to their feet. The tradition states that the deeper the stain’s colour, the happier the marriage will be!
Kompang (Malay) – A Malay Muslim wedding begins with the Majlis Persandingan (Malay for wedding reception) which features the bride and groom sitting in state wearing their traditional Malay wedding finery on a dais, where their guests file by to bestow blessings and congratulations on them. The groom’s arrival at the Majlis Persandingan is announced with an exciting fanfare by a kompang, which is a type of Malay drum band. The kompang escorts the groom, then performs dances and songs for the couple. The song’s verses come from the Quran and are meant to bring blessings for the newlyweds as they begin their new life together.
Adat Menghadang (Malay) – To begin the Majlis Persandingan, the bride sits upon the dais waiting for the groom, accompanied by the mak andam makeup artist, who keeps her face hidden with a hand fan. The bride’s friends and relatives all have a wonderful time trying to prevent the groom from joining her, they set up blockades and he has to pay with gifts of money to gain passage! At long last, he arrives at the dias only to have to pay the mak andam to lower the fan so he can meet his bride.These charming wedding traditions are an important part of Singapore’s rich culture and make us special!
