It seems that every volunteers experience becomes a bit more richer after they attend an Albanian wedding. I have heard awesome wedding stories and a few horror stories from weddings in Albania. Summer is dubbed the wedding season and I was fortunate enough to be invited to a wedding in Kukes. Jetmir, the groom, and I have been working together on the VisitKukesRegion.org website and plan to work together on his website for the Regional Council of the Kukes Region. Jetmir is an Information and Communication Specialist at the Regional Council in Kukes.
Weddings are usually week long celebrations and the 'official wedding' happens on Sunday. This is the ceremony we attended and I use the term 'ceremony' loosely. Unlike weddings in America, there is no ceremony; only a party. We were served 4 courses of meat all through out the day, circle danced continuously and our drinks were refilled before they were empty. This is so impressive and uncommon because customer service doesn't really exist here and everything was planned down to the minute, which was also unnormal.Neither the bride nor the groom danced until the last song of the event and when they did the entire party atmosphere lit up! We threw Leke and them when they did dance and watched from a flat screen them enter and exit the building which was very fun. I had an awesome time and was glad the first wedding I attended was from a good friend and co-worker. FYI, I think at my wedding I would like my wedding presents thrown at me, I think it adds a little flare.
 |
| Traditional Albanian wedding dance. |
 |
| All the employees of the regional government of Kukes. |
 |
| The bride and groom. |
 |
| After the wedding by the lake. |
 |
| Our table at the wedding. |
 |
| Karl and I with the bride and groom. |
 |
| Circle dancing and throwing Leke. |
 |
| Money for the newlyweds. |
 |
| By the lake after the wedding. |
