Persian Ceremony
Sofreh Aghd
This is the Persian wedding ceremony where the bride (aroos) and groom (damad) are seated before the guests, the wedding vows are exchanged, and the official marriage contracts are signed. Traditionally, the Sofreh Aghd refers to a large, white tablecloth that is placed on the floor decorated with a variety of items, each one holding an important symbolic significance. Together, they create an atmosphere of love, light, sweetness and happiness with goal being to surround the couple with positive energy, well-wishes and blessings as they start their journey together.
The Spread
Mirror (Ayeeneh): The mirror sits at the centre of the Sofreh and symbolises reflection, eternity, light and brightness. It hopes to bring clarity to the couple’s marriage. It is customary for the bride and groom to have several photos of them looking into the mirror, again representing them looking into the future.
Candles/Candelabras (Shamdoon): On each side of the mirror are candles and candelabras, to provide energy and warmth to the couple’s union.
The mirror and candlesticks will become a part of the couple’s home as a memento of their wedding ceremony. The fire and light of the candles represent the brightness of the future and the eternal passion the bride and groom will have for each other.
Persian embroidered cloth (Termeh): This traditional Persian embroidered cloth is handed down from generation to generation to symbolise family and tradition. It is used as a decorative display. Sreela and Bijan’s termeh comes from Bijan’s maternal grandmother, who used it during her own wedding.
Book: There is always a book on the Sofreh but the bride and groom can choose which Persian book holds significance for them. A poetry book is often used, and Sreela and Bijan have chosen the Divan of Hafez. The book symbolises the value of the written word in the Iranian culture as well as the importance of knowledge, wisdom, and learning.
Honey (Asal): During the ceremony, the couple feed each other honey with their little finger to begin their marriage on a sweet note.
Sugar cones (Kaleh Ghand): Large sugar cones are used in the sugar rubbing ceremony. This is done to sprinkle sweetness on the couple’s marriage and is often done by happily married couples.
Crystallized sugar (Nabat): This decorative sugar structure is also used to represent sweetness. In Iran, the Nabat can be a decorative showstopper!
Decorated nuts: Decorated nuts in shells signify fertility, traditionally hoping that the couple would have several healthy children!
Wild rue (Esfand): There is usually a tray of wild rue (either to display or burn as incense) which is believed to ward off any negative energy in the air. This hopes to protect, purify and heal the couple for their upcoming life together.
Decorated eggs (Tokhmeh Morgh): As symbols of fertility, eggs represent rebirth, transformation, and creativeness.
Persian mini-pastries (Sheereni): Persian mini-pastries also symbolize sweetness. Sugar plays a big role in Iranian culture!
Seven herbs & spices (Khoncheh): These are to protect the couple against negative energies and are made up of rice, salt, nigella seeds, tea, frankincense, poppy seeds, and angelica.
Decorative bread, wheat, fresh fruit, and herbs: These various decorative items symbolise abundance and prosperity.
Flowers (Gol): Flowers signify growth and beauty, as well as providing a lovely touch to the Sofreh!
Needle & thread (Nakh va Soozan): This is to symbolise the bride and groom, as well as their families, becoming one.
The Ceremonies
Sugar Rubbing Ceremony:
During the ceremony, bride and groom sit on a bench at the head of the Sofreh Aghd, surrounded by family and friends. The bride sits to the left of the groom. The couple face the large mirror and candelabras, which represent their hopes for a promising future together. During the ceremony, the bride and groom should see each other’s faces in the mirror to ensure a bright future ahead.
Following this, the sugar veil blessing ceremony takes place. During this, a satin or silk cloth is held over the bride and groom’s heads by female family members and two large sugar cones are slowly rubbed together, creating a haze of sugar dust that floats towards the couple. This symbolises “sweetening” the couple’s life together. This is often done by happily married women, starting with family members but everyone else is welcome to join! This canopy signifies that the bride and groom are now combined under the same umbrella or roof. The sugar rubbing will carry on until the bride gives consent, which takes a little longer than you might expect!
Consent Ceremony:
At this point in the ceremony, the officiant asks for the consent of the bride and groom to be married. First, he asks the groom if he consents to marry the bride. The groom immediately says “bale” which means yes!
Next, he asks the bride. The bride’s goal is to make the guests, and especially the groom, a bit nervous by making them wait for an answer. Initially, the bride is silent. After a few seconds of silence, someone from the audience will offer an excuse and say, ‘the bride has gone to pick flowers!’.
The officiant then asks the bride again for her consent to get married. Again, she remains silent, and a member of the audience shouts an excuse. The officiant asks for the third time, and this time, the bride says ‘With the permission of my father and mother, bale (yes)!’ This is cause for celebration so everyone will clap and cheer!
Now that the bride and groom are both happy to get married, the groom lifts the veil off from over the bride’s face and sees her face in the mirror in front of them!
Honey Sharing:
After the consent has occurred, the groom picks up the glass of honey (asal) . He dips his little finger into the glass and feeds it to the bride. She then does the same for him. Symbolically they will begin their union on a sweet note. This marks the end of the Persian wedding ceremony and the groom is free to kiss his new bride!
