A Malay wedding is an elaborate affair and it takes more than a blog entry to explain all the intricacies. So for now, let’s talk about the items we see at a Malay wedding but never got around to ask about their functions.

Bunga rampai

Bunga rampai comprises aromatic sliced pandan leaves, rose petals and other fragrant flowers and the sprinkling of rose water.

Bunga rampai

Photo Credit: http://bloggersinsingapore.blogspot.com/2009/04/featured-blog-bunga-rampai-wedding-pot.html

Guests will be given bunga rampai after the solemnisation of marriage. Bunga rampai serves as a symbol of hope that the sweetness of the marriage will prevail.

The shape, form and appearance of the bunga rampai have changed over the years. Instead of wrapping the bunga rampai with a sirih (betel leaf), various types of containers are used nowadays. Some people even change the content from flower petals to potpourri!

Pulut pahar

Pulut pahar is normally placed at the pelamin or wedding dais. It is made of boiled eggs and glutinous rice. The egg symbolises fertility.The pulut pahar is made in the hope that the couple will have a child soon.

Pulut Pahar

Photo Credit: http://www.rosselliniwedding.com/pulutpahar.html

Each guest who greets the couple at the wedding dais will be given an egg from the pulut pahar ‘tree’.

Sirih dara

Sirih dara or literally “Virgin betel leaves” is a floral arrangement made from sirih (betel leaves). It is also placed at the pelamin and represents the chastity of the bride. The sirih dara is a gift from the groom to the bride’s family.

Sirih Dara

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amranmatsom/1400610386/

Hantaran

Gifts exchanged at the Malay wedding are called hantaran. The groom and bride will decide on the number of gifts to exchange during the wedding. The gifts can be clothes, toiletries, bags, shoes and just about anything. The hantaran are placed in nicely decorated boxes known as gubahan.

Hantaran Items

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/baliomegatron/2661679842/

Bunga telur

Bunga telur refers to wedding favours. Bunga means flower and telur means egg. So is bunga telur ‘egg with flower’?

In the olden days, guests were given hard-boiled eggs dyed red with some yellow glutinous rice in a glass-like container. A little artificial flower would be added into the container. Hence the name – bunga telur!

Bunga Telur

Photo Credit: http://www.rosselliniwedding.com/pulutpahar.html

However, nowadays chocolates, cakes, face towels, candles and other items are given as bunga telur to guests to thank them for attending the wedding.

Bunga manggar

Bunga manggar are colourful, shiny papers strips wound around thin bamboo sticks. A wedding entourage will include 2 friends who will carry the bunga manggar.

The bunga manggar also serves as helpful landmark to help guests find the wedding reception. In the olden days, pineapple were also tied to the bamboo sticks.

Bunga Manggar

Photo Credit: http://missamie.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

The next time you’re invited to a Malay wedding, try to spot all the items mentioned above and see if you can remember what they are for!

Hidayah Amin | 13 March 2010