No Cameras in the Women's Hall — Epoche A2
Last month I travelled to Riyadh for my cousin Noura's wedding. It was my first wedding in Saudi Arabia, and it was really two parties in one night. The men, my father and brothers with them, went to their own hall. The women had another hall, across the garden. At our door an attendant smiled and put a small round sticker over the camera of each phone. Inside, I understood why. Women who cover outside take the abaya off here: evening dresses, open hair, gold everywhere. No cameras means every woman can dress as she likes, because no picture will leave the room. We ate and danced for hours. Then, close to midnight, the music stopped and a voice announced the groom. All around me, women reached for their abayas and scarves, and in one minute the hall was covered again. The groom came in with his father and Noura's father, walked with Noura to the stage, and stayed for the photographs - taken by the wedding's own photographer only. When the men left, the scarves came off, and the dancing went on. My phone holds one photo from that night: the hotel garden. That is how it should be.