The name for Muslims in Bosnia is a Bosniak. A couple could ask to get married in a mosque but most do not and opt for a simple wedding. The marriage is not official but merely a ceremony before the real marriage at the justice of the peace. Weddings happen real fast. Normally, once the man pops the question, his wedding is in less than a week, and always on the Saturday after he asks. The marriage is actually more of a fictitious elopement. The bride and groom have dated for a period of time, most of their friends know a wedding is coming, and the groom tells his parent long before he asks the bride to marry him so they have a chance to get her gifts and prepare for the feast when he brings her to their home.

The woman’s clothing for the wedding isn’t like the lavish wedding gowns seen in the U.S.; instead, a modest plain white suit may be worn instead. Normally she wears her most attractive jewelry as bridal jewelry. This might be a necklace and earring set that the groom brings as a dowry for the bride. This is different than the traditional Muslim wedding; the bride does not wear a veil or have to sit in a corner during the reception. They usually have their hair and makeup done on the morning they get married. The man wears a suit and often a cape.

When the groom arrives at the house on a Saturday, he’s comes with his family in other cars. If they go into the house, then the neighbors attend the wedding celebration and it's a planned wedding. When the groom stays in the car it means that only the family is invited to the celebration and the couple plans an elopement. They go to city hall to be married while both sets of parents prepare the feast at the groom’s home.

On the way home, they decorate the cars, beep their horns loudly, and wave to the people on the street that often throw money to the bride and groom. The parents of the groom offer the bride her gifts and the celebration starts for the evening with music food and dancing.

Many of the wedding customs of the Catholic and Orthodox Christians have gone by the wayside or become intertwined. The long communist domination of the country destoyed or weakened many of the traditions of both churches. There still are many flowers, bridesmaids, drinking, music, and good food at the wedding and reception. One traditional food is the Bosnian biscuit. This bread is like a coffee cake with walnuts, raisins, and chocolate.

Today in America, if the groom is Bosnian, he and his family can maintain some of the customs by offering to help pay for the cost of the wedding and buying gifts for the bride. A great gift is something that will allways be remembered like a pearl jewelry set or a set of Swarovski crystal jewelry. This wonderful custom is sure to start a family heirloom and set an American-Bosnian tradition for many generations.

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