Ethiopian wedding customs have existed for a very long time and are unmatched in their depth of tradition, familial love, and historical passages from the imperial era to the present, with only subtle differences in tone. The very first step in all wedding processions is shimgelena. It is promoted in this way. An elderly or young /shimagle/ from the groom’s side of the family will visit the home of the bride on a sunny weekend to ask for their daughter’s hand in marriage. The men sent will extol the groom and assess everything he has ever done, down to the smallest details, like how he started speaking at a young age when his peers were just goo-gooing to how he developed into such an aspirational young man deserving of their daughter. All of his possessions, including vehicles, homes, cash, stock shares, and even bonds, will be listed. Let’s say the groom’s family approves of the man and believes he would be a good match for their daughter. If they don’t want the marriage or are even slightly hesitant about the union, they will ask for another shimglena session only to end up saying no. In that case, they will give out their answers and say, “We agree to the bond.” The food will be served based on the response, but can only be savored if the response is favorable. The second component of the Ethiopian wedding assemblage is telosh. Telosh is similar to a bridal shower, but more formal and understated. Two days prior to the main wedding ceremony, this event is held. The bride’s family serves as the hosts, just like the shimglena. Here, the bride receives numerous gifts from the groom’s family and all of the other guests.
