Celebration in a Traditional Cambodian Street Wedding Tent

Samuel & Rina's wedding tent was set up in front of the bride's house

The last time I was in Cambodia, I saw a beautiful pink wedding tent set up on one of the streets close by in the neighborhood.

But I never had the opportunity to attend a traditional Cambodian wedding celebration.

This time I did!


 
After attending Samuel and Rina's wedding ceremony at the Grace Church held in Phnom Penh, we were invited to the evening wedding banquet.

A Cambodian Wedding Tent is very elegantly set up to welcome the guests

  The wedding banquet was held at the wedding tent set up in front of the bride's house.

Instead of just peering from the outside of the wedding tent like we did on our previous visit to Cambodia, this time we had the honour of being guests to a wedding feast and got to experience it ourselves.

Guests celebrated Samuel and Rina's wedding in a traditional Cambodian street wedding tent

Wedding Tent was nicely decorated and furnished with covered chairs, tables with tablecloths and  fans to keep guests cool

A stage was set up at one end of the wedding tent

 The wedding feast started at around 4:30p.m. But due to traffic congestion in Phnom Penh, it took us a little longer than we had anticipated.

I was a little worried that we would appear rude due to our late arrival to the wedding banquet.

Making sure a table has been filled with guests before dinner is served

 " Don't worry! Guests can arrive at any time after 4:30p.m. There is not a fixed time when the wedding feast will start. So we would not be late."

Our Cambodian host assured us.







 

One of the eight course dinner being served

" But when will the dinner actually be served?" I was puzzled.

Waiting staff serving the dishes

 "Each table at the wedding feast usually sits ten guests.

Wedding guests can arrive at different times and sit at whatever table they choose. There are no pre assigned seats for anyone.

Some of the staff members from the church

Whenever a table has ten guests sitting at it, the waiter will start serving dinner for that particular table.

Some of the staff members from the school

If that table is not filled, dinner will not be served until there are ten guests."

Our Cambodian host explained to us patiently.  

Some of the groom's guests

This explanation was helpful to us. It helped us to understand why some of the guests were already eating since the tables were only half filled when we got to the wedding banquet.

Interesting and different custom!  I  am glad that I have learned something new about Cambodian culture and customs this time.

There were many courses served at the wedding feast!

Guests were served with delicious dishes many of which were fresh seafood caught fresh from the sea.

 Cambodian ladies dressed beautifully for the wedding banquet

One thing I noticed about the Cambodian wedding ceremony and celebration feast, the guests, especially ladies dressed beautifully and elegantly for the occasion.

Lady guests were splendidly dressed for the wedding banquet

Another thing I learned from this wedding banquet was the elegant and traditional clothes worn by the bride and groom.

The groom and bride and their guests

The bride changed her outfit, from her white wedding gown to an elegant traditional Cambodian evening dress, then changed again.

 However, something we have never seen before at a wedding - the groom changed his outfit for the third time too!

Both the groom and bride changed for the banquet

So when Samuel showed up at our table with his third outfit change, we all screamed with delight!








I

 Entertainment was provided at the wedding banquet

Someone told me that music and dance are an important aspect of Cambodian culture.

I have experienced and seen it first hand at this wedding. From the musical tribute at the church wedding ceremony to the musical entertainment provided at the wedding banquet,

 I could sense how much Cambodians enjoy songs and dances.

Guests could get up and sing to their hearts' content

There was a stage set up at one end of the Wedding tent and singers were performing all night entertaining the guests.

The best part of the program was when some of the young people from Samuel's church went up and performed a gospel song praising God!

It was a marvelous wedding celebration! I was honoured and privileged to have been a part of that celebration!

May God bless Samuel and Rina, his new wife in their new life together!

R.T.
Attending a traditional wedding
Cambodia