The Wedding Day Preparations

Indian weddings are sacred religious ties between the families of the bride and the bridegroom. They are elaborate, expensive and emotional events, which are eagerly awaited, by all the young girls and boys when they are given royal treatment on this day. The traditional weddings used to be more than a week long though people cut short the events these days. There is an event for almost everything. The main day wedding function involves various rituals and customs, which are to be performed. There are various preparations to be looked after before the min day ceremony.

The wedding itself is a long, stretched out process, when all the Hindu deities are called upon and asked to bless the new couple. The bride and the bridegroom take seven steps around the fire, vowing devotion and love to each other and agreeing to take care of each other in all circumstances. There are various events to ensure laughter in the wedding ceremony such as when the younger sister of the bride tries to steal the shoe of her new brother-in-law and asks money as ransom. After the ceremony, the bride leaves for her new home. This is the most emotional moment of any Indian wedding, when the bride take leave of all her family members to start a new life in her husband's home. In the bridegroom's home, an elaborate wedding reception is organized in the honor of the bride where all the family member from both sides are once again invited and dances and songs fill this happy night. There are special traditional songs for all the ceremonies in the Indian weddings that are sung at the various occasions. Elaborate costumes for the bride and the bridegroom add a touch of royalty to the marriage customs.