6 Things You Need to Know about Attending a Malawian Wedding

6 things you need to know about attending a Malawian Wedding:

By Grace Montgomery (ICS Team Leader)

1. Wear your dancing shoes. You will be on your feet dancing for hours and the music, as well as peoples lively spirits will make you want to move your feet. Also, people really know how to "twerk" here, all their dancing skills are incredible and they put the UK's dad dancing to shame. 

The bride and groom dancing to the main stage 

2. Put your best glad-rags on. Weddings are one of the most exciting social events to look forward to here in Ntcheu and people make the effort for them for sure. 

Grace, the team leader, and her host mother Madalitso ready for a wedding in their handmade African dress

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  . Extended family is everything- and if you are related to the bride or groom you will probably meet at least 100 other people related to you that you had no idea about.

  .  Save your pennies for the event. A large part of Malawian weddings consist of money being thrown at the bride and groom. Whenever songs are played and people get up to dance, you also make sure you have change (in notes) to throw at the newly married couple. Expect to give away around 5000/6000K (£5/£6). There are cashiers at the event that will change your big notes to plenty of small notes. Presents are also given to closest family and friends of the couple, however there is a price on these gifts which the people receiving them must pay (normally between 5000k and 20000k (£5-£20).

Notes of money thrown on the ground for the bride and groom whilst people dance around them

5. You don’t usually need an invite! Weddings are normally open to the public and its often what people look forward to on their weekend. Even if you have never heard of the bride or groom, it doesn’t matter here, people are always open to making new friends and having a good time by socialising, dancing and singing.

6.  Survival of the fittest when it comes to food being handed out at the end. It’s seriously first come first serve. Since the weddings are mostly public, hundreds and hundreds of people can turn up. Therefore, as a consequence there isn’t normally enough food since it would mean catering for a small army. So, come to a wedding either with food in your bag or be prepared to fight for it first. Oh, another thing, there is not usually any alcohol, people are drunk on life instead!

A typical plate of food served at a Malawian wedding buffet

The wedding cake