A Friend’s Wedding Day in Siem Reap | Highlight

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This video clip entitled "A Friend’s Wedding Day in Siem Reap | Highlight". It highlights some important traditional wedding ceremonies of Mr Horn Hong from Batheay district of Kampong Cham and Ms Um Sovanda from Siem Reap, held in Siem Reap on 16-17 January 2019. It begins with beautiful wedding songs by Khmer classical musical band from Kampong Cham.

A wedding ceremony is considered very important for every individual stage of life known as Grihastha in Hindu tradition. After completing formal education, Brahmacharya, youth has to enter married life (householder).

During the wedding ceremony, the groom and bridegroom are treated not less than being a king and a queen. For a genuine Khmer man, it is the second time in his life that he is being under an umbrella after the first one during his ordination ceremony. For a typical Khmer woman, the wedding ceremony is the most sacred and honoured event in her life.

The wedding ceremony consists of many rituals guided by an Acharya (clergyman) and it used to be held up to three consecutive days. In the earlier days, boys and girls were kept apart from one another. Before marrying, they had often been less known to each other. Marriage in those days was often sort of 'arranged marriage' in which parents took care of their children's future. So, it may be right to point out that three days wedding ceremony which underwent many rituals would provide an opportunity for the groom and bridegroom and their respective family members getting to know each other well.

Things have been remarkably changed these days. Boys and girls often than not know each other before they decided to get married. This is called 'love marriage' in which the couple decide for themselves whom they are going to get married while parents only play a secondary role in their children love affairs. For this reason, the wedding day is reduced to one full day in many parts of Cambodia.

Please watch the video embedded above to see different wedding rituals being conducted in blessing the couple on their special day. Don't forget to share and subscribe to our Youtube Channel if you like it. Thank you and have a good day.