After the Wedding Celebrations

Learn all about post-wedding celebrations

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Lesson Transcript

Culture Class: Holidays in Iran, Season 1, Lesson 18 - After the Wedding Celebrations

Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Iran Series at PersianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Iranian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 18, After the Wedding Celebrations. In Persian, it’s called Paatakhti va Paagoshaa.

In this lesson, we will focus on the customs and traditions that follow a wedding party. There are a few parties that are held to mark the end of the wedding and the start of the couple’s life together. These include Paatakhti, Maadar-zan Salaam, Paagosha, and Mah-e Asal.

In this lesson, you will learn about how the bride receives gifts from her close friends during these celebrations, and about how after the celebrations come to a close, the bride and groom go on their honeymoon.

Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question-

What are “Kachi” and “khaagineh”?

If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening.

Paatakhti refers to a party that is held a day after the wedding celebration. During this party, attendees wear distinguished clothing. Female relatives and acquaintances of the bride gather around the foot of a chair, or sandali, upon which the bride is seated. They then give her gifts called roo-namaa. These gifts can either be items for the bride’s new home, such as beautiful dishes or picture frames, or money for the bride to use as she desires. Once the gift-giving is completed, the offering of candies and dancing begins. This event is mainly a party only for women, or khanoom-ha, and is held for the benefit of the bride, declaring her as the heroine of the day.

There is another ceremony called maadar-zan salaam, which is held the morning after the wedding party, typically before the Paatakhti. At this ceremony, the groom goes to see the bride’s mother, thanking her for giving him her daughter. The bride’s mother typically gives the groom a gift in return for his display of gratitude. Following this is paagoshaa, a ceremony in which the bride and groom go to visit their relatives’ homes. First, the bride’s mother invites the bride and groom to her home. Following that, the other members of the family then invite them to their home, or khaaneh.

The after-wedding tradition in Iran most similar to other cultures is the honeymoon, which is an opportunity for the bride and groom to have fun on vacation together away from their daily lives. This usually involves travelling somewhere fun and exciting like the beach or the mountains, but can also simply involve enjoying each other’s company at nice restaurants. Some religious couples may opt to go on a pilgrimage instead of a honeymoon, while others may travel to famous places, such as the Eiffel Tower. Because the hope is that the memories couples create together on this honeymoon will be as sweet as honey, and because traditionally this trip lasted an entire month, this period is called maah-e asal, meaning honeymoon.

Now it's time to answer our quiz question-

What are “Kachi” and “Khaagineh”?

These are two kinds of sweets that are given to the bride and groom on the day of paatakhti. Kaachi is a kind of halva made with water, oil, saffron, and sugar, and khaagineh is egg yolk and sugar that is fried in oil.