An invitation to a wedding party Yoyo wi miratooh Carmella aaqideen fil-beit bi yeshraboo shaii akhdar. Howa kan beiehiki lei Carmella aan el-farah el-masri elli hayrohoo fi mohafazat el-sharquia youm el-saabt el-qadim. Yoyo and his wife Carmella are at home drinking green tea. He was telling her about the Egyptian wedding party they will attend in Sharquia Governorate next Saturday. Carmella: Tayyeb, el-farah el-masri beikoon feih eih, ya Yoyo? Carmella: Ok, what an Egyptian wedding is like, Yoyo? Yoyo: El-Awel beikoon feih zaafa fil el-Shaarie leill arouseen Amr wei Fatma. Yoyo: First, there will be a street wedding procession for the newly weds Amr and Fatma. Carmella: Tayeb, wei baad el-zaafa bei yehssel eih? Carmella: Then, what happens after the procession? Yoyo: Baad el-zaafa el-gaamila beikoon feih akl laziz giddan. Laken lazim terrafei ein el-masreein fi el-arriaf behibou yegouzoo el-bint elkebbeira qabl el-bint el-sughaira. Yoyo: After the procession, which is usually awesome, there will be very delicious food. But, you have to know that in the rural areas the Egyptians like to have the eldest daughter get married before the youngest. Carmella: Ya sallam! Carmella: Really! Yoyo: Addatan elzaafa betibtidi bei alarabiyat. Wei arabiyat (sayraat) elaroussein beitkoon metzaawaaqa bei elward wei elsharaaeit el-melwaina. Wei lama el-aroussein bei youssalou el-shaarie, bei yebqa feih zaafa tanyaa mistanyahum min el-aarayeb wei el-ashaab. Yoyo: The procession starts with a car convoy. The wedding car is decorated with flowers and ribbons. When the bride and groom reach the street they are welcomed by another zaafa, as their relatives and friends wait for them. Carmella: Zaafa tanyaa ya Yoyo? Carmella: Another zaafa, Yoyo? Yoyo: Aywa. El-zaafa el-tanyaa koll el-nass bei koonu masheein maa elarroussa wei al-arees wei bei ghanou aghani saeeda wei yurokosso. Yoyo: Yes. The second zaafa is another human parade, with people walking alongside the bride and groom, singing happy songs and dancing. Carmella: Wei baadein? Carmella: Then what happens? Yoyo: Lama el-aroussein yewssalow el-kosha wei yeqaadou alla elkarassi, el-maazim yebttidou yeshrabou sharbaat el-farah. Webaadein, el-arroussa wei el-arees yeghairou el-khwatim min el-eed elyemen lill eed el-shemal. Baad keidh homa yeqittou tortat el-gawaz. Wei hya betkoon thalaat adwaar. Yoyo: When the bride and groom finally reach the 'kosha'[wedding throne], the guests begin drinking rose sherbet drinks. Then the bride and groom switch rings from the right index finger to the left index finger. After that, they cut the wedding cake. It's three layers high. Carmella: Helw awei. Carmella: That's sweet. Yoyo: Baad kedha, el-aroussein ha yefatahu el-bouffeh ell beikoon malyaan akl maassri lill el-diouf. Haykoon feih salataat keitera, lahmaat, wei khoudar beil lahma, roz wei hallaweyat. Wei baad koll el-diouf ma yekhallasu akl, el-haflaat tekhlas wei yemshou. Yoyo: Next, the couple open the buffet for the guests, which will consists of a wide variety of salads, meats, stews and sweets. After every guest has 'stuffed' his or her stomach, the wedding party is over. They start leaving the party. Enquires and proposals are most welcome to be sent to this e- mail [email protected]
