Every year at this time, the onset of winter kick starts a festive fervour in the country. If the positivity and the zeal of various festivals was not enough, then that is added by the wedding functions that take over. The world may see it as Fall/Winter but in India, it is the Bridal fashion that dominates as this time is an auspicious one according to the religious calendars too.
Indian Weddings – Preparations Rituals
Weddings are always an elaborate affair but none can be as elaborate as in India. The occasion is a significant enough one and the scale matches the significance requiring a worthy eye for detail.
Preparations: Setting the Base
Unusual to the common concept of a single event world over, the Indian weddings comprise of various events where the celebrations and rituals can actually last as long as a week. Keeping this in mind, it requires months of preparations and planning to fit the grand scale. Deciding the number of events is the first step to all the planning.
Preparing the Guest List:
- This is the first baby step but an important one to get an idea of the attendees and everything else follows.
Location:
- Once one has a fair idea of the guest numbers one can plan and book the locations ceremony & budget wise. This also involves booking the guest rooms for all the guests who need it.
Décor:
Indian Weddings Preparations decor
- An integral part, a lot of planning goes in getting the décor right as well. One may go for something that is theme based or something that is aesthetically great to keep it simple.
Indian Weddings decor ideas
- Seating, Lighting, Flowers form an important aspect to most of the Indian weddings. A mandap, that is a temporary space where the bride and groom take their oath and the ceremony is performed is an integral part of the décor.
Dresses & Outfits:
- The traditional outfits are an exquisite mix of fine embroideries and well tailored outfits. This too requires a certain planning and implementation along with all the accessories. Jewellery forms the main part, some of it is worn out of certain traditions.
Invitations:
- The cards kick start the entire mood! One can follow the theme of the décor in this case.
Apart from these there are a lot of details that a wedding involves. One should not forget to add personal touches to a few elements that reflect you.
The Rituals:
The Indian community is a vast one with different rituals followed by each one of them. However, most of the weddings rituals today do have a few basic common rituals that could be related easily.
The Sangeet Ceremony:
- One of the many fun parts of the celebration, this event has a lot of song and dance mostly inspired by folk music and Bollywood music which itself is a genre in India. The ceremony can be followed by both the bride and groom’s family.
The Mehendi Ceremony:
Indian Weddings Mehendi Ceremony
- This is the part that contributes in a big way to make an Indian bride look like one. Fine and elaborate henna design is applied on the bride’s, her relatives and friends hands. This is mostly a ceremony performed on the brides side where all her well wishers impart their blessings. It is believed that the darker colour the henna imparts the stronger is he bond.
These pre wedding festivities are often combined together. Various other rituals form a part of these which is finally followed by the main wedding itself.
The Wedding:
Indian Weddings Ceremony
- The biggest event, sees all the guests of both the bride and groom coming together to see and bless the couple as they perform their vows.
Indian Weddings rituals ceremony
- This includes the dramatic arrival of the groom amidst the band, the wedding rituals that marked them as married and a whole lot of other actions to support.
Reception:
- This is the final big event organized by the groom’s family to welcome and introduce the new bride to their family.
Each ritual performed has a significance and the back into origins tracing way the history. An Indian wedding is a strong reflection of the cultural and social set up of the country.
Highlights:
Whatever, be the religious character of the wedding there are things common in most of the Indian weddings:
- Color: Be it the décor, ensembles or the spirit, the colors form a major part of any Indian wedding , enough to leave all mesmerized.
- Song & Dance: This is an expression. There are folk melodies specific to weddings and each culture usually has their own version of it. Starting from the beginning to the end of the entire gala, this is a major part at any level.
- Games: There are traditional games to be played during and after wedding majorly to form an activity that gets the families to interact!
The wedding is the one of the most serious affairs and a hearty one too. An Indian wedding is one of those events where one extends an invite to most they know and brings together people from all over to come and join in the zeal. In India, it isn’t about two people, it is about to households coming together and a wedding affair does just that!
More Articles on Indian Weddings:
Indian Bridal – How to Pick the Perfect Bridal Outfit 
A wedding is a life altering event marking a new era and a lifestyle. World over the approach may differ […]
Types and Varieties of Indian Bridal Jewellery 
Jewelery forms a part of every woman’s fantasy. Add to it, the occasion of her wedding and you have the […]
Bridal Beauty Tips: Glowing Skin and Hair 
The bride-to-be has so much going on for her that it becomes very difficult to focus on her beauty. The […]