A Modest Affair -Wedding in Balik Pulau

I was invited to a wedding of a friend's daughter in Balik Pulau and I was one of the  first few to arrive at the  wedding. I arrived early with the intention of giving a helping hand if and when needed as the Father of the bride is a close friend and is recuperating from an illness. In the foregroun d of the picture is the 'rambutan tree' which during the fruit season is always loaded with the red  hairy fruits. The inside of the rambutan is some what like the 'Lai Chee ' then peeled.  It is very sweet and no doubt delicious.

Che mat's house is surrounded by different kinds of fruit trees like the tall Durian Tree  - Durian is also known as the King of Fruits and is a very expensive fruit when in season. The Balik Pulau Durian is much sought after by foreigners especially the Chinese as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan. The prickly or spiky large fruits has thichk zesty flesh that looks and taste like pudding but the smell is what kept most westerners at bay. Thank the Good Lord for small favors as it would be much more unaffordable for the locals if the westerners too like the fruit. As it is the Chinese are hoarding the delicious fruit buying  all they could and exporting them to their motherland. I found a durian in san Francisco once and it was frozen off course. It was priced at twnty five US dollars then and the would make it almost RM 70.

Among the early arrivals were the 'Elders' of the community who came to  perform the 'Tahlil" or  blessings  by the recital of the verses from the Quran. Tghis is done at most Muslim weddings as a way of  getting Allah's blessing for the ceremony and festivities about to take place. After the ritual it was time to sit down and enjoy the feast.

I enjoy capturing the young and old in the natural elements with the camera. Some are aware of it while others are taken off guard.  Whatever the shots were taken fro they were meant to portray the aesthetics as well as the natural phenomenon taking place in a given environment that brings out the characteristics of the event.  

Fathers and children are most relaxed  and  the feeling of  homeliness is  written all over the picture.  

The gentleman in the foreground wearing the 'Songkok' or typical Malay  hat is my  friend Che Mat  who used to work at the MGTF -USM until he fell ill. He is into the Malay Art of  Self Defense at one time and we belong to the same school of Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia. CDhe Mat prides himself as a 'mystique warrior' who is capable of  capturing Jins and other  supernatural entities and he has a great collection of  antique Malay Weapons.

As always, Malay weddings are a colorful affair as the Malay women  loves the bright tropical colors  when they dress.

It was a double wedding and as I mentioned a very simple and modest affair.  May God Bless the  couples and may they find true happiness in their married life.