Our Wedding

After a comment by Susanne I thought I might post some more details about my wedding, which was on November 27 2010!!

We got engaged soon after Hubby became Christian, because religion had been the dealbreaker for us, so soon after accepting Christ hubby propsed to me in mid-June. We knew we wanted to get married as soon as possible, because we had desperately wanted to get marry beforehand. We filled put the Notice of Intention to Marry paperwork straight away, as that needs to be filled out 30 days before ther wedding.

As I wrote about last year Hubby went home to UAE to tell his parents that we were marrying and most of all to tell them of his conversion. It was risky and we didn't know whether he could be imprisoned, executed or deported for leaving Islam, whch is illegal in UAE and Sudan, where he has citizenship.

As the date approached I wanted to desperately to marry - I was terrified he could be killed before we married. Isn't it odd? Of course the most important issue was his safety, but we were aware that this was the worst case scenario, and I wanted to go into the situation knowing he was my husband. Legally also, I knew as a fiancee I had no rights. We wanted so badly to live together, if only for a day, as a married couple before he left, as we didn't live together before marriage.

I even asked our minister if he would consider a "religious" wedding ceremony only.

Many Muslims in Australia have a religious ceremony, which makes them married in the eyes of Islam, seperate to the legal marriage. As we couldn't get legally married yet I asked my minister to consider a marrying us according to the Christian rites but without filling out all the paperwork that fills the legal side. I don't think it's ever been done before in mainstream Christian circles before but our minister considered it and agreed it was biblicaly ok and he felt able to do it.

We ended up deciding against it, because we wanted to give his parents the chance to attend the wedding or at least show them respect by telling them we planned to marry, rather than informing them we already had.

As I wrote about previously his parents did not accept either his conversion or our marriage, but I'm glad we at least gave the chance.

More than that, the hardship we have been through, including facing the idea we may not see each other again in some ways was a blessing in disguise. Having had to fight to be together, having faced losing each other has always gave us perspective. Having had to work so hard before our marriage and in the first year or so of our marriage and overcome it we are well prepared to meet the challenges of our married life.

So with 5 months to go I began planning out wedding! Because the marriage was so much more important than the wedding for us I didn't loose focus in the planning part! I got stuck straight into dress shopping as it was luckily sale season and I knew this could be tricky! Luckiyl for me I found a wedding dress (brand new) on sale from $1400 reduced to $290!!! It was embroidered with pearls with are my birthstone and a theme for the wedding.
Reception venue was a venue not too far from my home and the church - maybe 15 minutes or so from the suburbs but actually in the country, and in an area where I grew up.

I loved finding a venue that wasn't just a hotel room, or a fancy venue in the middle of the city as is often the case. I wanted somewhere that blended harmoniously into its surrounds and had atmosphere and somehow related to us as a couple. Luckily our venue met all these requirements.
Ceremony was at my wonderful church - walked down the isle to Pachabels Canon in D played on piano and violin (congregation members) and walked out to the traditional from music played on our church organ.

During the signing of the register I had the piece "Your Hands are Cold" (played in Pride and Prejudice movie) which is the most beautiful piano score and Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite literary works.

Colour scheme was pearl, pale pink and champagne colours :)

We tried to bring in some arab touches - our centrepieces were arab-style lanterns from

Emirates, our music at the reception was mixed arabic and western, our programs had arabic symbols, our place cards had the guests name is english and arabic.

I also surprised hubby by learning my vows in Arabic (he didn't know!!)