Memoirs of A Bride (Part 1)

I'm woken up at 9am by my mum and aunts who announce themselves in my room (I should've locked the door). I'm still a bit sleepy from the night before where my family and my 3 friends (Ainul, Bibi & Sera) came over for the AF finals but I manage to pull myself out of bed feeling somewhat invigorated. My 2 months worth of preparations will now be put to test. I'm not feeling the slightest bit nervous. I've been feeling extremely ecstatic for the past few weeks or so.

Mum reminds me that Pehin Yahya and Dato Ahmad (Nasir's uncles) are coming over at 10am for my signing and I go and get ready. For the signing I was asked by Pehin Yahya to read out the paragraph for myself which I did (in my head). I thought it was like if you buy stuff u are asked to read the terms and conditions, you don't really read it out loud rite? I was all quiet, happily reading the paragraph in my head when Pehin Yahya said "Baca.... Bismillahhirrahmannirrahim..". I repeated after and said "Bismillahhirrahmannirrahim" and kept quiet. He then said to read the paragraph and pointed at the 2 nd line so I was stuck contemplating if he wants me to read it from the top or from the 2nd line. So I asked! Hehehe…

After the signing more family members came to the house. I was shoo-ed upstairs and banned to not wander off around the house. So I skipped to my room and played around with my pembalas. Mum came in and said "Belulut!" then came in my grand aunties (many of them) and pulled me out and made me sit on a mat. They had it done like bebedak mandi where every 'old/married' person took turns to bedak me. Our family does not allow un-married people to bedak whoever is getting married. Apparently it's not allowed. They say the unmarried person wont get married if they do it. After that I had to change into kamban n they did the works. That was my bebedak mandi 'cowboy'.

At 2pm Eyan (photographer) came and took pictures of my pembalas and then came Bu Amas (my aunt who was doing my make up). So I sat while she painted my face and then I felt it! The 1 st sign of butterflies in my stomach. I was finally feeling nervous! Erwan (videographer) came and reported for duty, my friends started coming in and filling my room which distracted me during the process of having my make up done. Though it also made my nerves lesser. Make up was done, I ran down to change and use my tudung and came up to have my jewellery, tiara and veil put on.

Geared up, I took pictures with my friends and it was time for doa selamat (after hantar berian). My family members came in and gave the "Jangan ketawa ketawa. Senyum jangan besar. Mata jangan liar" talk. Not long after my 2 aunts came in my room to escort me down to the pelamin. So I sat, looked around, had Zakiyah make faces and distracting me, having the family walk up to me on countless occasions saying that my 'mata liar' and to behave. So to keep my eye at 1 point, I just watched the TV in which Nasir was being 'lectured' about marriage. Then came the time for the 'ijab & kabul' which despite his 1st time that was at the wrong time, his 2nd time was said without a glitch. After that Nasir had to read some 'agreement' where if he were to be missing for 6 months and I complained to authorities, it'd be automatic talak and I thought to myself… He's only just become my husband and he's already talking about divorce! Its like a pre-nup! Nasir went to salam with everyone and then he got escorted upstairs to where I was. Had him touch my head (tapak) and salam-ed (batal wudhu) him followed by him sitting next to me and we 'bersanding'. Everyone then started to head off to eat and Nasir said "sudah" and was about to walk off with them!

We took pictures and more pictures and more pictures and had a little cake cutting thing with more pictures taken. In the evening we went to Ban 3 (his house) to continue taking more pictures. By the time we got back to Mabohai (my house) we were absolutely tired. I managed to admire my hantaran from Nasir for a few minutes but I definitely didn't have the energy to unpack it! If I went back in time 10 years ago to when Nasir and I 1 st went out and told myself that I'd be getting married to Nasir in 10 years I don't think me in the past would've believed it cause its still very surreal to me now. It all feels like I'm in a blissful dream, one that I wont have to worry about waking up and going back to boring life. One could say I'm on cloud nine but a permanent cloud nine.