I’ve been looking back on our incredible adventure in India over this past Thanksgiving, and all the lovely photos we captured during this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Hopefully you had a chance to read my post Rajasthan: Jewel of India, with the highlights of our travels in this majestic region. I also wanted to separately recap the actual wedding events, which were truly unlike anything I’ve experienced before (or may again!), and share some of my favorite parts of the Indian wedding tradition here.
Our trip centered around attending the wedding of two of our very best friends, Jay and Aditi (#jayditi), and the anticipation was high as it was both our first time to India, and our first Indian wedding. If you follow me on Instagram, you know this was an epic celebration – and I couldn’t help but cover every last extravagant, colorful detail. I’ll do my best to encapsulate the highlights here.
The Mehendi
Following a welcome reception on the night of our arrival, the celebrations begin midday on Friday with the Mehendi. Traditionally this event is attended by female guests, reminiscent of a bridal shower, and is where the bride is decorated in henna in preparation for her wedding day. In modern day, the event is often attended by the full wedding party, and is an opportunity to dance, eat, drink and offer well wishes to the soon-to-be bride and groom.
My very favorite part of the Mehendi was the special tradition of each female guest tying a bracelet to the bride’s wrist, while offering her a blessing for her marriage. Our bride was an absolute vision – the perfect match to her radiant inner beauty. It’s easy to give blessings to this gorgeous human, who brings so much happiness into the lives of everyone around her. I’m so lucky to call her one of my best friends!
The Sangeet
That same evening was the Sangeet, derived from the Hindi “Sang” meaning together, and “Geet” meaning music, which is truly the main event of the Indian wedding. This production was unlike any I’ve experienced before, complete with speeches, toasts, and professionally choreographed dances by the guests to entertain the bride and groom. Our group, comprised of our classmates from MIT, spent the days leading up to the wedding preparing our performance – a dance-off with excerpts from Despacito and an Indian pop song “Tu Mera Hero” (You’re My Hero). It was a valiant effort, but we were no match to the Indian wedding pros that followed!
The grand finale was an epic performance by the bride and groom themselves to thank their family and guests for being part of the celebration. I had no idea Aditi and Jay were professional performers – they took the “first dance” to whole new level! The party continued until the wee hours, and I have a newfound love for Bollywood music (“Radha on the Dance Floor” was a highlight – this video is a hoot).
If a week spent touring and staying in palaces wasn’t enough to make feel like a princess, the opportunity to wear this fabulous garment (known as a “lehenga”) sealed the deal! The bride and groom recommended traditional Indian attire for the Sangeet in particular, and I am so glad I heeded their advice. The lehenga is a crop top and full-length skirt topped with a decorative scarf known as a “dupatta”.
This one came from Pernia’s Pop Up Shop, an Indian e-commerce site recommended by the bride as well as several other Indian friends, and is by the designer Mani Bhatia. I was astonished that it fit perfectly upon arrival after only sending in my measurements in the checkout process (I had the measurements taken by a tailor which definitely helped). I was so impressed by the quality of the fabric and embroidery – I honestly preferred it to my own wedding dress and was beaming the entire time I wore it!
The Shaadi (Wedding)
After a long lie-in to recover from the Sangeet, the following evening was the true wedding ceremony. In a way, this was hard to believe because each preceding event was like a wedding on its own! As my first time participating in a Hindu ceremony, I was completely taken by both the theater and spirituality of the event. I especially loved how the rituals leading up to the actual ceremony built the anticipation and excitement.
To start, the festivities kicked off with a turban-tying ceremony for the groom and all of the male guests. The turbans added so much color to the ceremony – and I know our guys enjoyed dressing the part for the wedding just as much as we did. I only wish I had a sari to wear for this event! Next time : ) How gorgeous do my girl friends look in their saris and headpieces (called “tikkas”)?
Following the men’s turban-tying ceremony, the entire wedding party gathered for the “Baraat”, which is the groom’s procession into the wedding. Jay was accompanied by dancers, musicians and even a horse and carriage as he led the wedding party to the ceremony to meet his bride. At the ceremony gate, our groom was met by the bride’s family and offered a blessing by the mother of the bride, and then began his procession to the altar.
The bride made the most stunning entrance, emerging under a canopy of fresh flowers with beautiful Hindi music and dramatic lighting setting the perfect mood. Every single ensemble Aditi wore the entire week was worthy of the Oscars red carpet, and this was no exception. Her lehenga is by a leading designer duo, Shyamal & Bhumika, who also happened to be wedding guests (!). I am now completely enamored with Indian wedding fashion, which offers so much more variety and glamour than the traditional white gown.
The bride and groom exchanged red and white floral garlands strung with pearls just before the ceremony began, symbolizing their commitment to each other. (In traditional weddings, the garland exchange can represent the first time the bride and groom meet before the wedding!) They then joined their families in the elaborately decorated bridal tent, or “mandap”, for the marriage rites, led by a Hindu priest. I loved that the families were active participants throughout the marriage rites, sitting side-by-side with the couple and offering blessings throughout the ceremony.
By the end of our week, it was clear to me that the Indian wedding tradition is far superior to its Western counterpart. There were so many special elements of the events that celebrated the bride, the groom, their families and their guests. In spite of the formidable guest list, I think every guest shared the same feeling that they had been an intimate part of the union. I know that Tom and I will remember this week for the rest of our lives!
For more details on this exceptional wedding, visit my friend Brittney’s blog, TheBlondesEyeView to read her post: Sari not Sari: My First Indian Wedding. Her photography and writing are just gorgeous. #blogenvy !
Preparing for your first Indian wedding? Any questions I can help with? Leave a message in comments and I’ll do my very best to help.
