Model Weddings

Wedding Hostesses provided by www.mrs-show.ae

I responded to a post on Facebook from a woman in Kuwait looking for Western model-looking women to hostess/waitress at weddings in Kuwait part-time.  I immediately thought that this will be a trend that will catch on in Kuwait; especially with the elite.  It is the female equivalent of having a British butler, if nothing else for a conversation piece for those who have attended.

I've been to many Kuwaiti weddings in the past 22 years. Most of the servers are from the Philippines. This was literally the first time I've heard of anything like this in Kuwait.  But it made sense.

I see it as diversification.  Wouldn't it be racist to assume only one nationality or a group of people from only one area of the world could accomplish the task of being a wedding attendant?  If people are qualified and want to do the job, why not?

On the Facebook post thread, some of the comments were by people (women!) completely opposed to having "models" at weddings (and keep in mind that Kuwaiti weddings are segregated, so women would cater to women).  The opposition seemed to be towards attractive models. The main theme was that this is "far from Kuwaiti culture."  Why?  Because its new?  It isn't as if the bride was importing male Chippendale strippers to serve food to female participants.  But even if they were, it is up to the wedding participants (bride/groom/family) to determine what they want to do at their own private venue.  They could ask for circus freaks if that's what they wanted.

Are other women insecure of beautiful women?  Aren't weddings - especially Middle Eastern weddings - full of beautiful women; women who have spent most of the day getting more beautiful at salons?  Would women be insecure of beautiful foreign women at Kuwaiti weddings because maybe (and I'm just throwing it out there) lovely models would take some of the limelight from the potential mother-in-laws, there to scope for potential mates for their sons?

Ironically (as I've found many timing situations in Kuwait to be), immediately after I responded to the post, a friend in Dubai who owns an event management company (www.mrs-show.ae)  contacted me because her company was booked for a Kuwaiti wedding with Western models and two had backed out at the last minute.  She was desperate to fill size 4 uniforms (which were black jackets/skirts) with beautiful, tall, slender women (and no - I in no way make the cut).  I made some calls but it is sketchy when you call all your friends the night before a weekend asking, "Yo, Flan, I need 2 beautiful girls.  Can you help?"  But my friends know - I've asked for stranger things, so now they kind of bear with me till the end of the conversation before they laugh.

If I were the bride, I would like to see beauty (and professionalism) at my wedding.  Because I'm weird, I would even put them in fairy costumes, complete with wings (covered-up version of a Victoria's Secret fashion show?) and ask them to flutter about the room, with me being the bride fairy princess.... Yeah.... it could happen....

Of the weddings that I've attended, the women of the families usually escort ladies to seats.  But they get busy, don't they?  The next line of assistance are the waitresses in uniform and for the most part, they are not professional and can't answer questions.  I would assume that professional wedding ushers would be trained and competent in their jobs.  And they would probably even assist with a courteous smile.

In addition, the models (hostesses, ushers - whatever you would like to call them) get paid for these (all-female) events.  Its a chance for them to make extra money. It is really no different than having spokes models at a car show or grand opening of a jewelry store. Or a flight attendant.   What's the big deal?  Sexist?  Perhaps. But we're talking about a wedding, not an arbitration or financial summit.  Not like the wedding guests are going to form a panel on climate change and pose interview questions to the hostesses.

And why western women and why bring them in from a place like Dubai?  Well, they are not party crashers.  They're not going to go out and talk about what happened behind closed wedding venue doors - no potential for gossip - especially if many Westerners don't understand Arabic that well and if they are brought in from somewhere else, they probably won't know anyone else in the country.  Its an interesting aspect.  Kuwait is a small country.  Everybody talks.

I can see this becoming a trend at upscale weddings. Many new things are controversial at first.  I'm grabbing my popcorn and watching to see how this plays out.