1 Incest
Ethiopians believe that marriage with incest brings on a curse upon the whole family. So both families investigate as far back as up to 5 generations to ensure there is no blood connection.
2 Shemagele
The Groom family sends Shemagele (old man/wise man/close friend) as a mediator to help with the wedding arrangement and to get approval to take the bride’s hand in marriage.
3 Preparation of the Bride
This differs based on the tribe of the Bride but usually, the bride prepares for a week of wedding celebrations by decorating her palms, fingernails, and feet with henna.
4 Telosh
A formal ceremony before 2 days of the main wedding, where the groom and his family offer presents to the bride, these gifts usually include a gabi, wedding gown, and pieces of jewelry.
5 Groom's Arrival
On the morning of the wedding, the groom and his entourage head to the bride’s home, where the bride is prepared.
The bride’s family and friends won’t let the groom get into their house easily. His entourage has to convince them and the groom has to bag to let him inside to the house to be with his bride.
The mood is fun and includes the back and forth of traditional songs between the two sides.
The groom is let into the house, where he presents his bride to be with flowers. She accepts his gift with a hug/kiss then everyone heads to the wedding ceremony.
6 The route ride
Decoration of flowers on the cars and singing traditional wedding songs along the ride, while the bridal car at the head of the procession will lead to the ceremonial point. In between this journey, they will stop at a park or a chosen location for a quick photo.
7 Kissing of the Knee
The groom and the bride bow low and kiss their grandparents and their parents’ knee and take their blessings at the entrance of the ceremonial hall.
8 Wedding Lunch
The flower girls dropping flower petals, candle girls, groomsmen, and bridesmaids lead them into their seats with traditional wedding songs. While they meet and greet the guest.
The priest prays for the lunch to be eaten as the couple goes to the buffet area and is the first to be served. They are followed by the bridal party and then the guests.
9 Engagement
The bride and the groom leave their seats of honor and head to the center of the hall. The ceremony begins with the exchange of the ring by the couples and the cutting of the cake. The bride throws gift parcels filled with sweets to the guests.
10 Dinner at Grooms
The groom’s parents host a dinner for the newlyweds, close family, and friends to continue the merriment in a relaxed way.
The evening is spent discussing the many aspects of the wedding. And here the groom is obligated to consummate the Marriage.
The purity of the bride to be is considered to be a blessing upon the whole family.
11 Melse
The parents of the couple throw a traditional themed celebration after days of the main wedding for close family and friends. Newlyweds are clothed in traditional Ethiopian clothes known as Kaba.
As the Ethiopian bread is being cut, the bride’s mother presents her daughter a nickname that everyone in attendance will use in remembrance of the wedding.
12 Kelekel
By the third day, a Kelekel (mixing together) is held for all those extended family members that weren't unable to be in attendance for the wedding.
At the end of this ceremony, the parents bless and congratulate their kids and bid them adieu.
Shemma
In cultural Ethiopian weddings, the bride and groom are adorned in a shemma: a handwoven cloth with beautiful shiny threaded embroidery, woven for an elegant effect with sashes flowing over their shoulders.
Hand embroidered gold-encrusted crowns are worn to signify the meaning of marriage and how extraordinary and exceptional the covenant is before God.
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