Symbolic Weddings

Candle lights, chocolates, beaches, exotic flowers, what would you want at your wedding? Yes, it is the most memorable day in anyone’s lifetime. A day when you actually, practically share your life with someone you think deserves to be in it. And why just stop at decorations? People of the west have taken their romance at another – more romantic – level.

Welcome to symbolic weddings. Most popular venues are islands of Maldives and the resorts near the beautiful Male beaches. The couple is married according to no religious rituals, prayers or vows. After weddings with particular themes and dress ups, these are the latest addition in the changing world of wedding ceremonies. These are ‘custom made’ or you may call ‘designer’ weddings. Guest list starting from no guests at all can go on inviting thousands of them. If the couple does not come up with a ritual on their own, they can choose from a list of many, such as floral vine ritual, sand ritual, rings ritual, candle of unity ritual and so on.

And one of the most commonly handpicked by the happy couple for their romantic wedding day are the Maldives Islands. Though Maldives’ economy is largely based on tourism, these symbolic weddings still don’t really contribute much to the economy. Most obvious reason is the lack of awareness about the symbolic weddings. But there are other reasons arising that may hinder Maldives to be a venue for such weddings.

In an incident in October last, the Island received much criticism after a video surfaced on social networks and video sharing websites, which showed employees at a spa resort mocking and humiliating a tourist couple renewing their marriage vows.

The complaint was taken really seriously and the government chalked up some strict laws for the conductors of these symbolic weddings. The regulations, approved by President Mohammd Nasheed include a compulsion to be conducted under the supervision of resort’s senior management, with clear and complete explanation to tourists; conducted in a language chosen by the tourists. The rules go on to state that: “the attendees to the symbolic marriage ceremony shall not engage in any disrespectful activity either actively or verbally while the proceedings are ongoing.”

However, the Maldives Islamic Ministry has expressed vehement opposition towards the Regulation on Symbolic Tourist Weddings. Maldives has a strict Islamic constitution. There are people who think that, despite the constitution that gives liberty to people to marry according to their religion but without a religious ceremony - in absence of prayers and vows, a wedding does not really take place. The couple will thus be believed to be living illegitimately together, having no such relation of man and wife.

While the tussle between the Ministry and the government continues, the couples from around the world who would have wanted to come to Maldives are no more certain about the revival of their vows in this Asian Heaven.

Published in South Asia Mag. Jan, 2011 issue.