A Malay wedding proper begins with the akad nikah (marriage contract) ceremony. The groom signs the marriage contract and agrees to provide the bride with a mas kahwin (literally marriage gold in form of money or goods or anything as requested by the bride). This is in contrast to dowry, as the mas khawin is paid by the groom to the bride . The mas khawin is a symbol to show that the men is willing and are prepared to build a family with the lady he chose to get married to. The contract signing is done before a religious official and is accompanied by prayer. If the bersanding is to take place the next day, the couples hands are dyed with henna during the adat berinai besar (grand henna-staining ceremony). The brides hair is also trimmed, eyebrows shaped and make-up applied by a beautician, known as the mak andam. If the bersanding does not take place on the day following the nikah, these preparation customs are delayed until the bersanding.

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