Not the usual “ribbon cutting” session which is done during any officiating ceremonies, but instead, we were brought through a journey of joy and merriment of wedding ceremonies, celebrations and customs. It was a time of recollecting memories for those who are married and for the rest, a better understanding of how various cultural wedding ceremonies are performed.

Located 2,700 feet above sea level and surrounded by 16,000 acres of tropical rainforest, Colmar Tropicale, Berjaya Hills was our destination. Twenty-five vintage cars transported us to the cool hills in the clouds. A mere 45-minutes-drive from Kuala Lumpur, this enchanting haven is set amidst cool and refreshing highlands which combines historically themed ambience with cross-cultural influences from France and Japan.

Upon arriving, the first ritual which we witnessed was the casting of rice confetti. This is a well-known practice in Egypt, Rome, England and America. Wheat or rice represents life and fertility, and that is why it is a tradition at weddings. The tradition had continued to modern times where rice throwing has become the most common American tradition for closing a wedding ceremony. Also a known tradition of the French, they too traditionally throw wheat at the bridal couple and Sicilians wheat bread and salt, while the English have used a piece of cake.

Moving on to our next activity, it was the cake decoration session. Knowing how some couples spend a lot on wedding cakes and how enticing those cakes looked, we were given an opportunity to decorate our own cake. One lucky winner walked away with a three days/two nights stay in the Premier Chalet on Water at Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort worth RM4,000.

Following the cake decorating session, it was the Sake drinking ritual. The drinking of sake symbolises the bond of marriage and the unity between the two individuals. After the sake is poured in three stages, the bride and groom drink from their individual cup. A traditional Japanese wedding ceremony is usually held in a Shinto shrine, where only family members attend; it is an intimate, private event. The Shinto priest first conducts a purifications ceremony then calls upon the gods to bless the couple and their marriage. The groom then reads a marriage oath. The ceremony ends with the sansan-kudo, a ritual that involves the couple drinking from three flat stacked nuptial cups of sake; the groom takes three sips from the first cup then the bride and so forth until they have each sipped from all three cups. This is essentially the exchange of vows. The sake is then shared with family members.

Next was the Japanese Tea Ceremony or Cha-no-yu. A unique cultural tradition which began in then 15th century, it is referred to as Cha-no-yu in Japanese (meaning ‘hot water for tea’), the Japanese tea ceremony is more than an elaborate ritual. It is an interlude in which one acts for the duration of the ceremony as the spirit of beauty, quietude and politeness towards others. The ceremony can be practiced anywhere, whether at home or in a teahouse. This tea ceremony is held to infuse the guiding philosophy of the tea ceremony based on the principles of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility (wa, kae, sae, jubuo).

Later in the evening, we were all treated to a wine-and-dine spread where the whole boulevard of Colmar Tropicale was decorated to reflect a “real” wedding. Although it was not a wedding ceremony, but by the end of the evening, with nostalgic video moments, “sharing of vows”, simple food that was served, conversations shared, it really felt like we have all just been through someone’s wedding do. Finally, the night ended with a surprise desert which awaited us in our respective rooms.

Berjaya Hotels & Resorts has just launched Love Me Do!, the first online public voting wedding contest in Malaysia. It gives one couple an opportunity to win an all-expenses paid and everything-planned beach wedding at BerjayaLangkawiBeach & Spa Resort. The couple will be able to share this memorable day with 60 people. Log on to the website and register now.

For more info log on : www.lovemedo.com.my