Rituals & Ceremonies of Indian Weddings

Steps	Wedding Rituals
1	Preparation - Bride / Groom
2	Roka - Ring / Sagan ceremony
3	Haldi Rasam
4	Mehendi Ceremony
5	Sangeet Night
6	Cocktail Party
7	Reception
8	Bridal Shower
9	Wedding Gifts
10	Pheras

Indian Wedding is nothing less than a grand festival; where each ceremony beautifully portrays the colourful culture, customs and rituals of the country. This makes every Indian wedding unique in its own way. Be it an opulent Marwari wedding in Rajasthan’s palace, a simple Kerala wedding against the backdrop of a colourful temple, a larger-than-life Bollywood wedding, or a pompous Punjabi wedding. Every wedding has a story to tell. Several weddings are remembered for their delicious food, while some become the talk of the town for their decorations, while others are recalled for the stunning Indian ethnic wear outfits of the bride, bridesmaids and groom.

Traditions and Ritals at an Indian Wedding

Traditions and Rituals at an Indian Wedding

Let’s take a sneak-peek at the various celebrations that make the Indian wedding so special and vibrant.

The Roka Ceremony

In Indian weddings, the Roka Ceremony is the foundation. On this day the families of the bride and groom meet each other, exchange sweets, gifts and blessings; and officially declare that the to-be bride and groom will be together, from now onwards. The Roka ceremony these days is often combined with the Sagan or Ring ceremony. Read more…

Mehndi Ceremony

The marriage celebrations will begin with a Mehndi ceremony. In addition to the traditional mehndi designs, the bride decorates her hands and legs with eye-catching designs. The bride's solah sringaar is incomplete without applying mehndi, which marks the importance of this event. This also brings good luck and happiness to the bride as she enters a new chapter in her life. Read more…

Sangeet Ceremony

The Sangeet ceremony takes place a few days before the wedding. Nowadays many families prefer to merge it with the Mehndi ceremony, turning it into a grand function. The Sangeet ceremony is about bringing the families of the bride and groom to the dance floor. Perfectly choreographed dance performances by bridesmaids and groomsmen make this a lively and fun celebration for everyone. Read more…

Haldi Ceremony

Haldi ceremony takes place on the morning of the marriage day. Haldi paste is applied to the arms, neck, legs and face of the bride and groom by family and friends. The purpose of this celebration is to protect the bride and groom from evil eyes, as well as to enhance the glow of their skin for the wedding ceremony. Yellow is the predominant color chosen by brides and grooms for this event. Read more…

Cocktail Party

Cocktail parties are fun events that take place two days before a wedding. The day is all about letting loose, drinking, and eating fabulous food while letting go of wedding stress for a day. Pre-wedding cocktail parties are an opportunity for the bride and groom to escape the grandeur of Indian traditional clothes and dress up in modern Western clothing. Read more…

Reception

The Indian wedding reception party is the first ceremony the groom’s family arranges for the bride and groom post wedding. Since this is their first public appearance together as a newlywed couple. This ceremony brings an end to the long festive celebrations of the Indian wedding. Read more…