Kifle & Freweini had one of those weddings that wasn’t just a wedding – it was a celebration throughout. When we first met with Kifle and asked him if there were anything we needed to know that was special to their day “..or is it just a normal wedding?” He replied, “Just a normal wedding.” But you’ll see in the photos, it was a more unique than expected with the word “normal”.
From the moment you walked in the door – everyone was smiling, dancing, playing, laughing, and just rejoicing! Their son, Ethan, was a non-stop smiler!!! I can’t speak for all Ethiopian families, but in Kifle and Freweini’s, the culture and love runs deep.
You can see from the photos below that this wedding is a vibrant, cultural, and spirited celebration. During the ceremony everyone sang and the groomsmen played drums while the Bride and Groom were crowned King and Queen.
During the reception they danced in a huge circle introduced by the men wearing their guardsman’s attire and wielding swords that looked older than anything we’ve ever touched, passed down from generation to generation.
The music, the styles, the food – it was all different – for us anyways. We were treated to spicy foods that everyone ate with their hands (only ‘guests’ ate with their utensils, haha), spices were mixed together with a vegetable broth and sopped up by the bread they made for the occasion, and we were treated to a bottle T’ej (it’s an alcohol made from fermenting honey).
All and all this wedding was the most unique we’ve ever attended and we wish happiness unto Kifle and Freweini!