The vests are called jelek. Many of the vests are sewn with real gold thread. The white hats that the men wear are called qeleshe. These hats are very traditional and the name means "woolen."
Albanian weddings involve many rituals and traditions. All of these wedding festivities and rituals carry a deep meaning. For example, a groom is supposed to give his bride lots of gold jewelry to signify that he can take care of her while they are married. The traditions invovling extended familes and friends on both sides are important because family is really important in Kosovo. Marriage is often viewed as the start of a new life, or the extension of your family. I think that Albanians celebrate weddings so much because they love family.
In a lot of ways, this tradition is connected to the environment! In Kosovo, many people live in small towns or villages. Weddings are something that an entire village (or two) will celebrate.
Also, many of the traditional clothes are connected to the environment. The white hats that I mentioned earlier are always made from wool. Wool in Kosovo comes from sheep. There are lots of sheep in Kosovo that serve many purposes! They provide milk, cheese, and wool. Way back in history, most of the people in Kosovo were sheep herders.
