A melse highlight, made from the celebration after the wedding
The melse is a celebration held after the main wedding, often the next day or within the same week, where many couples appear in formal traditional dress, such as an embroidered kaba cape and in some families crowns, among their closest relatives and friends. To get a highlight of it, upload only the melse footage as its own WeddingEditor project, name the people and moments in the preference questions, and WeddingEditor's AI editing makes a Highlight Reel of about 5 minutes or a Social Teaser.
Customs at a melse vary between families and communities, so ask the family what will happen and who will speak.
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Last updated October 2026
How to get a highlight of the melse
- 1
Upload the melse as its own project
Create a project just for the melse and upload its footage from every camera. Keeping it separate lets the main wedding and the melse each have their own film, each with its own purchase or plan credit.
- 2
Name the dress, the people and the moments
In the preferences, describe the couple's traditional dress, name the parents and elders who give blessings, and list the moments that must be included, such as the entrance, the blessings and the dancing.
- 3
Receive and revise
Start processing once every file has finished uploading; it typically takes 24 to 72 hours. Watch the edit in the app, download the MP4, and send up to two rounds of notes by email.
Moments of a melse to list
The couple in traditional dress
The couple's first appearance in their melse attire, such as the kaba and, in some families, crowns.
Blessings from the elders
Parents and elders speaking or praying over the couple.
Gifts
Relatives presenting gifts to the couple, if the family includes this.
Coffee or food
Shared food, and in some families a coffee ceremony, among the closest guests.
Dancing
Eskista or group dancing, usually more intimate than at the reception.
A family portrait moment
The couple with both families together at the end.
What happens at a melse, commonly
This is the shape many families follow. Practice differs between families, regions and communities, so confirm the plan with the couple.
1. A smaller gathering
The melse is usually more intimate than the reception, with close family and friends, often at a home or a smaller hall.
2. Traditional dress
The couple often changes into formal traditional clothing for the melse, such as an embroidered cape (kaba) over traditional garments, and in some families crowns.
3. Blessings and gifts
Elders and parents bless the couple, and in many families relatives present gifts.
4. Food, music and dancing
The gathering usually includes a meal and dancing, with music from a band, singers or a playlist, all of it recorded in your footage as it happened.
A highlight, not the whole gathering
A Highlight Reel is about 5 minutes long and one per project. If the family wants every blessing in full, cut that yourself from your footage.
Parts of the melse and what to note in the preferences
| Part | What it looks or sounds like | What to note in the preferences |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | The couple entering in traditional dress, guests ululating | "Open on the couple in the kaba at the door." |
| Blessings | Elders speaking or praying, the room quiet | "Keep the grandfather's blessing audible." |
| Gifts | Relatives coming forward with gifts | "Short; feature the bride's aunts." |
| Meal and coffee | Shared food and, in some families, coffee served | "One or two shots, no close-ups of people eating." |
| Dancing | Eskista and group dancing | "End on the couple dancing with both mothers." |
What is a melse?
A melse is a celebration held after an Ethiopian wedding, often the following day or within the week, where the couple usually wears formal traditional dress and receives blessings and gifts from close family and friends. A melse highlight is a short edit of that gathering, made from the footage you upload.
It is not the wedding reception, which is usually larger and held on the wedding day, and not the church ceremony. Eritrean families hold a celebration with a similar name and some shared customs.
Melse video questions
Can I get a highlight of just the melse?
Yes. Create a project for the melse and upload only its footage. It becomes its own Highlight Reel or Social Teaser, separate from the main wedding project.
The melse is the day after the wedding. Can the highlight be ready for it?
Not reliably. Processing typically takes 24 to 72 hours with no guaranteed turnaround, so the melse highlight will usually arrive after the event.
How do I make sure the traditional dress is featured?
Describe it in the people question, for example "the couple in matching gold-embroidered kaba capes and crowns", and list their first appearance as a must-include moment.
Will the blessings be heard?
If your cameras recorded them clearly, yes; the edit keeps the original sound. Use the audio question to ask for speech to be favored during the blessings.
Does WeddingEditor know melse traditions?
No, and it does not need to guess. The AI editing follows your notes, so describe what happened and what matters to the family.
What does a melse highlight cost?
One Wedding is $119 one-time for one wedding, or a plan subscriber spends one credit on the project.
More for Ethiopian weddings
Give the melse its own film
Create a project for the melse, upload its footage, and name the blessings and people that matter.
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