Java is the most populated island in Indonesia, and wedding ceremonies can get quite intricate. Some of the most common ceremonies include: Ijab Kabul — The Ijab ceremony is the most important requirement to legalize a marriage. A Sajen (offering) is put. The bride wears traditional makeup and gelungan (bun), golden jewelries and a special Kebaya (traditional clothes for Javanese women) for this occasion. The groom also wears a special dress for this ceremony. Dahar Klimah/Dahar Kembul — The bride is given a plate to the bride with yellow rice, fried eggs, soybean, tempe, and fried meat. The groom makes small balls of rice with his right hand and gives it to the bride. After the bride has eaten, she will do the same for the bridegroom. Then, they drink sweet tea together. Sungkeman — Sungkeman is a procession where the couple asks for the blessing from their parents: first from the parents of the bride, then from the parents of the groom.
Indonesian wedding are generally very large! Aside from generally being held over a two-three hour period, the dinner will not be sit-down and more of the style of a buffet/standing party. Due to the majority of Muslim population, alcohol will not be served with dinner. The bride and groom will stand on a decorated stage and shake every guests' hand. We will be preoccupied with greeting every guests, but fortunately when the majority of the guests have left, we will have the opportunity to mingle and take pictures with guests of close friends and family where wine might be served.
There are a couple of reasons for this, but in summary: over the last 10 years, both Diandra and I have spent a lot of time abroad; making new friends while fostering the relationship with others. We want to use the opportunity to bring our friends from the Indonesia, Germany, Ireland and the US together. And with that, we hope that our friends will get to know one another, while individuals that don't know the bride/groom too well yet, have a chance to get closer respectively. Besides, we may not have the opportunity to catch up and mingle with (a lot of) people in Jakarta. It would be a pity to miss the opportunity to celebrate properly and without parental supervision :) Having said that, we totally understand the big time commitment. Should you not make it all the way, we will make sure to catch up on the celebrations.
We kindly ask you to RSVP by April 30th. Especially for the Bali Wedding Vacation & Friends' Dinner Party, we are trying to finalize bookings with vendors for which we need an approximate guest count.
Pre-registered spouses and partners are very welcome at the Wedding Reception in Jakarta as well as the Bali Wedding Vacation & Friends' Dinner Party. Just mention those during the RSVP process. For Bali, we will stay in touch with you once the final guest count and the private villa(s) are confirmed as there may be the chance that we won't have enough private rooms available for couples. Please don't hesitate at all to reach out to us regarding this matter. The Traditional Wedding Ceremony in Jakarta will be carried out in a smaller circle than the Wedding Reception. Unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate everyone but we will stay in touch with you shortly after April 30th once the registration is closed.
— Wedding Reception, Formal — For ladies: A night gown, dressy separates, or a formal cocktail dress. For men: A dark suit, light shirt, and a tie. — Wedding Vacation & Friends' Dinner Party: Beach/Garden Party — Besides your surf wear and clothes that get you to the local beach clubs, we would ask you to consider clothes for our Dinner Party. No need to be overly formal, but we want to make sure that we can celebrate in style. For ladies: Summer dresses For men: Button down shirt with khakis/dress pants --Traditional Wedding Ceremony, Traditional (optional) or formal -- For the Traditional Wedding Ceremony, we will have a vendor onsite that can rent traditional wear. This is completely optional, but a great opportunity to immerse in the Javanese culture and take photos with the bride and groom. Reach out to us if you have any questions!
Should you attend the Traditional Javanese Wedding Ceremony the morning of Saturday, Nov 24, it is advised to arrive the day prior. That is especially if you are interested to rent a traditional, Javanese suit/dress for photo opportunities (see dress code FAQ). Otherwise, to join the Wedding Reception in the evening, we recommend arriving in Jakarta by noontime considering the city's infamous for its traffic jams.
Yes. Tons. We will share more of them as the dates come closer. Generally, we advise to max the time in Bali/Lombok or to spend some time in Yogyakarta - both of which are very different from one another and Jakarta. As for Jakarta itself, 1-3 days are enough to get a good sense of the city. You should also consider a few days in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, especially if you find cheaper flights or can combine it with a work-related trip. Flights between KL, Singapore, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bali are very cheap. Just make sure to plan for any delays with local carriers before your long-haul flights. Check out our Things to Do section for more details!
If you intend to stay longer and are looking for more travel companions, you should consider teaming up with more people. We will start a Facebook group once the registration window ends. Also look out for any travel tips we will share through the group or this website.