The Wedding:
Indian weddings are hugely elaborate affairs, with some marriage celebrations lasting as long as 15 days, though most weddings now last between one and five days (Spangenberg, 2001).
The arrival of the groom: The Indian wedding typically takes place at the bride’s home or at a wedding hall, and the arrival of the groom at the bride’s home on the wedding day is noisy and fun-filled event. The groom traditionally rides in on a decorated horse or even an elephant, though modern grooms may choose to ride in a luxury car (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). The groom, wearing his wedding attire and often a sword, is accompanied by his friends and family members as they parade in to loud music and fireworks. In a traditional arranged marriage, this would be the first meeting of the bride and groom (Spangenberg, 2001).
Photo credit: http://blog.mymela.com/2013/01/15/season-splendor-indian-wedding-season-excess/
The bride’s family will traditionally host a welcoming ceremony including a feast. The bride’s mother and female relatives shower the groom with flowers while the bride is showered with rice as a symbol of fertility. Then the groom will mark his bride’s forehead with a small, red circle which she would traditionally wear for the duration of her marriage. The bride then anoints the groom’s head with a fragrant paste made of sandalwood (Spangenberg, 2001).
Indian weddings are hugely elaborate affairs, with some marriage celebrations lasting as long as 15 days, though most weddings now last between one and five days (Spangenberg, 2001).
The arrival of the groom: The Indian wedding typically takes place at the bride’s home or at a wedding hall, and the arrival of the groom at the bride’s home on the wedding day is noisy and fun-filled event. The groom traditionally rides in on a decorated horse or even an elephant, though modern grooms may choose to ride in a luxury car (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). The groom, wearing his wedding attire and often a sword, is accompanied by his friends and family members as they parade in to loud music and fireworks. In a traditional arranged marriage, this would be the first meeting of the bride and groom (Spangenberg, 2001).
Photo credit: http://blog.mymela.com/2013/01/15/season-splendor-indian-wedding-season-excess/
The bride’s family will traditionally host a welcoming ceremony including a feast. The bride’s mother and female relatives shower the groom with flowers while the bride is showered with rice as a symbol of fertility. Then the groom will mark his bride’s forehead with a small, red circle which she would traditionally wear for the duration of her marriage. The bride then anoints the groom’s head with a fragrant paste made of sandalwood (Spangenberg, 2001).
The Ceremony: The ceremony itself centers around a holy flame, a symbol of God, and is led by a Brahman priest. The priest will read sacred Sanskrit texts as the bride and groom throw offerings such as rice into the flame.The bride and groom drape flower garlands around one another’s necks while promising to love and respect each other (Spangenberg, 2001).
Pradakshina: a ritual in which the bride and groom walk seven times around the fire to symbolize their union (Spangenberg, 2001).
Saptapadi: This ritual is the heart of a Hindu marriage ceremony, the part in a Western union where couples would speak their vows. In this custom, the couple walks together holding hands, taking seven steps facing north (the word Saptapadi translates to “seven steps.”) (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). After the seventh step, the bride and groom place their right hands over the other’s heart. Rather than speaking or writing their vows, they believe that they have written them on the Earth with their steps and in their hearts with their hands. The seven steps represent seven duties:
Photo credit: http://blog.mymela.com/2013/01/15/season-splendor-indian-wedding-season-excess/
The ceremony finishes as the groom applies vermillion to the bride’s forehead and chants the mantra “I am the words, and you are the melody; I am the melody, and you are the words.” Now the couple is considered married (Spangenberg, 2001).
Pradakshina: a ritual in which the bride and groom walk seven times around the fire to symbolize their union (Spangenberg, 2001).
Saptapadi: This ritual is the heart of a Hindu marriage ceremony, the part in a Western union where couples would speak their vows. In this custom, the couple walks together holding hands, taking seven steps facing north (the word Saptapadi translates to “seven steps.”) (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). After the seventh step, the bride and groom place their right hands over the other’s heart. Rather than speaking or writing their vows, they believe that they have written them on the Earth with their steps and in their hearts with their hands. The seven steps represent seven duties:
Photo credit: http://blog.mymela.com/2013/01/15/season-splendor-indian-wedding-season-excess/
- To earn a living and provide food
- To work hard to keep the body strong and healthy
- To care for the well being of the other
- To work to increase their spouse’s pleasure and happiness
- To hope for children, who will be cherished
- To try to be flexible and compromise with one another
- To develop both intimacy and friendship
The ceremony finishes as the groom applies vermillion to the bride’s forehead and chants the mantra “I am the words, and you are the melody; I am the melody, and you are the words.” Now the couple is considered married (Spangenberg, 2001).
Cost: Because of the size and grandeur of a traditional Indian wedding, it is not uncommon for parents to begin saving for a wedding the moment their daughter is born, as the bride’s family typically takes the brunt of the cost. A traditional Indian wedding can easily cost upwards of $90,000, with the buffet tab alone reaching $128 per plate for 500 guests (Ashford, 2013). That’s $64,000 on food alone!
Dress: Indian weddings are a vibrant and colorful celebration. The bride glitters as she is typically adorned with as much jewelry as possible to display her wealth, including colorful bangles, gold necklaces, and large earrings. Traditionally, the bride will wear red because red is a symbol of joy, desire, prosperity, fertility, and marital bliss. Depending on where she lives, she may wear a sari or other red silk garment embroidered with gold thread and a ghunghat or veil as a sign of respect to the gods and elders present (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). The groom traditionally wears an Indian suit of white silk with a stand-up collar and loose pants. Some men may wear a tupi, a kind of turban decorated with feathers and jewels. In the north, a groom may fasten a veil of flowers called a sehara to his turban to promote him to the status of the god Vishnu on his wedding day (Spangenberg, 2001).
The reception: The families of both the bride and the groom may host a reception for wedding guests, though this is not a particularly ritualistic affair. This is likely because the wedding ceremony itself can last for such a long and is abundant with rituals. The reception is mainly an offering of well-wishes for the couple, featuring music and dancing. All food served during the wedding is traditionally vegetarian, though the particular dishes vary from region to region (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.).
Photo credit: http://www.maharaniweddings.com/gallery/photo/6871-indian-wedding-traditional-outfits
Photo credit for header image: http://maharaniweddings.com/2012-12-12/2544-vineyard-indian-wedding-by-james-thomas-long-photography-in-pleasanton-california
Dress: Indian weddings are a vibrant and colorful celebration. The bride glitters as she is typically adorned with as much jewelry as possible to display her wealth, including colorful bangles, gold necklaces, and large earrings. Traditionally, the bride will wear red because red is a symbol of joy, desire, prosperity, fertility, and marital bliss. Depending on where she lives, she may wear a sari or other red silk garment embroidered with gold thread and a ghunghat or veil as a sign of respect to the gods and elders present (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.). The groom traditionally wears an Indian suit of white silk with a stand-up collar and loose pants. Some men may wear a tupi, a kind of turban decorated with feathers and jewels. In the north, a groom may fasten a veil of flowers called a sehara to his turban to promote him to the status of the god Vishnu on his wedding day (Spangenberg, 2001).
The reception: The families of both the bride and the groom may host a reception for wedding guests, though this is not a particularly ritualistic affair. This is likely because the wedding ceremony itself can last for such a long and is abundant with rituals. The reception is mainly an offering of well-wishes for the couple, featuring music and dancing. All food served during the wedding is traditionally vegetarian, though the particular dishes vary from region to region (Gullapalli & Sagi, n.d.).
Photo credit: http://www.maharaniweddings.com/gallery/photo/6871-indian-wedding-traditional-outfits
Photo credit for header image: http://maharaniweddings.com/2012-12-12/2544-vineyard-indian-wedding-by-james-thomas-long-photography-in-pleasanton-california