Ashley & Dylan's Macedonian Wedding

1.5.23

Yesterday, Nick and I attended Ashley & Dylan's wedding in Western Sydney. A lack of organisation meant that we forgot the invitation and the card. Before dropping Chip at Michelle and Katies house for the day, we stopped in at Woolworths to pick up a card and get some money out. When we arrived at Michelle and Katie's place, we were pretty early so we all walked to a cafe and had coffee. By 12 pm, Nick and I were on the road to the Macedonian Church in Cabramatta.

This church was located on a really busy road. It was a big block of land but the inside of the church was tiny! It was a very long ceremony, where the priests sang all the prayers. We barely saw anything though, because we took seats upstairs and our whole view was blocked. We arrived by 12.30 pm but did not leave the church until 2.30 pm. Img caption. During the wedding ceremony.

Ashley looked really amazing though. Her dress was silky and just perfect, but looked really expensive. The bridesmaids wore blue silky dresses, that were really nice as well. Emma commented that she wanted dresses like that for her wedding.

Following the church service, everyone gathered outside to watch the newly weds come out and then we all took a group photo. Now, the time was about 2.45 pm and the reception wasn't until 6 pm (so annoying that we need to wait 3 hours), so Nick and I headed to mum's after getting a couple of burgers from Hungry Jacks. While we waited at mum's house, we watch the football Bulldogs vs. Knights game and talked. Img caption. A few pics with baby Zayne.

At 5.30 pm, we headed to Marconi club's Dolltone House for the reception. It was a very nice place, and probably a really expensive wedding. I could understand why they had to have it on a Sunday, with large gaps between the service and reception. We were not sitting at the tables until after 6.30 pm though. For a while, we were outside the room and being served canapes/wine. img caption. Family photo

When we were finally seated, we helped ourselves to an antipasto platter at our tables. In the wedding, there were 27 tables filled with 10-15 people at each. WOW! At least 300 people were there. I think most of the guests were Dylans macedonian family. Not long after we were seated, eating and drinking, the bridal party were welcomed into the reception (using the typical entries that you see at most weddings). The strange thing is that Dylans godparents were also welcomed in with the Bridal party - after Dylans parents. How strange. God parents must be a really religous thing in orthodox religion.

After the bridal party were welcomed, they did some macedonian dancing and then the entres were served. Then came.... more macedonian music and dancing. By 9 pm, we were served our mains. Then..... yes you guessed it.... more macedonian music & dancing.

It wasn't until 9.30 pm that they finally did the speaches and cut the cake, and then more macedonian music! Straight after the speeches and cake cutting, we got up and said goodbye to our family and went home.

It was a nice wedding. It would have been more enjoyable if the speeches were earlier and the cake was served before we left. I feel like having the wedding on a sunday, with a big gap between the service and reception and then only playing macedonain music for most of the reception was unwelcoming for us. I'm sure that it would've been good for the people within their close circle who will party all night long and take today off work.