Eskista

As a wedding photographer, I have been lucky to get to witness many traditions. Last weekend I was lucky enough to get to shoot a wedding rich with Ethiopian culture. It was a very fun wedding with many smiles. The bride was stunning in her Audrey Hepburn style, lace mermaid gown. There were diamonds in her hair. She looked like a glamorous movie star. The groom and groomsmen were wearing metallic vests, which looked really good on camera.

One fun and very unique thing I saw at this wedding was the lack of a formal ceremony. Instead, they used modern traditions in a unique way. 
When they were introduced to the room, the guests did not stay at their tables, but created a tunnel, which became a dance tunnel, which the bridal party took turns dancing through. It was fun and awesome to watch. 
Then, when they were cutting the cake, a ring bearer brought the wedding rings in a small and colorful basket. The bride and groom took turns holding the rings up to the crowd, and everyone watched and cheered as they put the rings on. I loved it; the crowd loved it.  

The Ethiopian music was outstanding. I was getting my groove on, with literally a hundred people on the dance floor. I thought we were going to break the floor. I made my way to the DJ. I stopped, shocked to see a live keyboardist and singer. They sounded incredible. Everyone, from the children to the grandparents, was waving their hands in the air, jumping up and down. We were shaking our shoulders, in a traditional style of dance. I learned it is called Eskista.  The energy on the dance floor was full of life and love. I had a ton of fun.     

Click here to see an example of Eskista


Malia Jeanne Wedding Photography

---