Planning a traditional Indian wedding is no easy feat! While it’s a beautiful event filled with many meaningful rituals, there is a lot to do. Many Hindu weddings last 4 to 5 days, depending on what customs are included. For a step-by-step guide, keep reading!
Pre-Wedding Traditions
Before a traditional Indian wedding can begin, the wedding date, or muhurta, must be chosen. This is usually done with the help of a priest who analyzes the bride and groom’s horoscopes to determine the best day and time.
The Day Before
The day before the wedding, the rituals begin. The bride participates in the Mehendi ceremony, where the fronts and backs of her hands, forearms, feet, and lower legs are covered in henna. She won’t leave the house after the Mehendi is applied. Professional henna artists who keep up with current trends are often in high demand for these occasions.
Other women in the bridal party and close female relatives also receive Mehendi, but the designs are less elaborate. The groom will be in a separate place with the male family members, where he may also put a few dots of henna on his hands. He will also receive oil in his hair as part of the groom’s tradition.
The Night Before
Later that evening, the Sangeet is held. All the wedding guests are invited, and the celebration includes food, mingling, dances, and the introduction of the two families (although they’ve usually already met by then).
The Wedding Day Ceremony
The big day has arrived! Traditional Indian weddings include very specific traditions, including prayers and rituals, which can lead to a 2-3 hour marriage ceremony.
The Ceremony Begins
At the wedding venue, the wedding begins with the Ganesh Puja. This puja, or ceremony, is performed by the priest to invoke the Hindu elephant god, Lord Ganesh, to bring good luck to the married couple and their families.
The ceremony involves the bride and groom’s parents at the mandap, which is a four-post canopy. Next, the Graha Shanti is completed by the parents. It’s a prayer to the nine planets to bless the bride and groom with courage, peace of mind, and inner strength.
The Groom’s Entrance
Now the ceremony begins with the baraat, or the groom’s grand entrance. It customarily takes place on a decorated horse, accompanied by the groom’s family members. However, some people opt to arrive in a limo or other luxury vehicle. If a horse is ridden, it’s normally from the groom’s house to the venue. It can become an impressive procession, with a band and dancers, though the groom will not take part in the fanfare.
Once the groom arrives, he’s met by the bride’s parents. They apply tikkas, or forehead marks, to the groom and his family. The bride’s mother will then perform an Aarti over them all. This ceremony consists of lighting a candle that is passed around, accompanied by the Aarti song. It symbolizes wind, fire, water, earth, and space. The groom and his family are then welcomed in.
The Bride’s Entrance
Throughout the wedding morning, the priest will be reciting Sanskrit verses called slokas. Their purpose is to bring positive energy into the ceremonial space. Once he announces “Kanya padhravo savdhan” (which means “Please bring the bride”), the bride will enter.
Traditional Indian weddings include a bride wearing a red sari, and no other guest should be wearing that color. She is usually accompanied by her maternal uncles and whoever else she chooses to be a part of her entrance. Some variations have someone holding a white cloth in front of the groom so he can’t see her as she enters. She then joins the groom under the mandap.
Ceremonial Rituals
Once the bride and groom are united, there are a series of traditional customs they take part in. This includes gift exchanges, symbolic rituals, and prayers.
Exchange Gifts
Under the mandap, the bride and groom exchange flower garlands in a ceremony called the Jaimala. They will also exchange vows if they have written them. Next, the groom is given a mixture of yogurt and honey by the bride’s father as a symbol of welcome and respect. Then gifts are exchanged between the bride and groom’s families in a ceremony called the Gau Daan.
The Kanyadaan comes next, where the bride’s mother gives the bride a long necklace made of gold and black beads called a mangalsutra. Finally, the father of the bride places the bride’s hand into the groom’s, stating he accepts the groom and wishes for the groom’s family to accept the bride. This shows acceptance of the new couple by both sets of parents.
Light the Sacred Fire
After the Kanyadaan is complete, the Vivaah Homa begins. A sacred fire is lit, and the couple praises Agni Devta, the Lord of Fire. This ritual is completed with the hopes of bringing Vishnu (one of the principal deities in Hindu) into the ceremony. The priest throws a mixture of crushed sandalwood, ghee, and herbs into the fire and recites Verdic prayers.
The remainder of the wedding is performed around this fire. “Id na mama” is repeated, which means “it is not for me.” This phrase symbolizes the selflessness of marriage. The bride and groom also repeat a sacred pledge to request that Lord Agni send messages to other gods: Santati for healthy children, Sampatti for wealth and prosperity, and Deergharogya for long and healthy lives.
The priest continues to pray, and the bride and groom repeat after him, with promises to be humble and faithful, both to God and each other. The groom will then take the bride’s hand to take her as his wife. The Rajaham ritual is next; the bride’s brother (or another male family member) will pour rice into their open hands, which they offer into the fire. The bride and groom will then tie their scarves together, symbolizing their eternal bond during the Gath Bandhan ritual.
Walk Around the Fire
During the Mangalphera (the Walk Around the Fire), the couple walks around the fire four times in a clockwise direction. The four circles represent the four goals in life: Dharma, religious and moral duties; Artha, prosperity; Kama, earthly pleasures; Moksha, spiritual salvation and liberation. The bride goes first to symbolize her determination to stand beside her husband through happy and sad times. Next, the couple takes seven steps together in the Saptapardi ceremony. Each step represents a marital vow:
- First step: To respect and honor each other
- Second step: To share each other’s joy and sorrow
- Third step: To trust and be loyal to each other
- Fourth step: To cultivate appreciation for knowledge, values, sacrifice, and service
- Fifth step: To reconfirm their vow of purity, love, family, duties, and spiritual growth
- Sixth step: To follow principles of Dharma
- Seventh step: To nurture an eternal bond of friendship and love
Ceremonial Blessings
The completion of the Saptapardi means the ceremony is winding down, so it tends to be one of the most anticipated parts of a traditional Indian wedding. Following the Saptapardi, the bride and groom’s parents will bless the couple and sprinkle them with rose water. Next, the groom applies sindoor (red powder) to the bride’s part in her hair and puts the mangalsutra around her neck. She is meant to wear this at all times, like most Western cultures do with wedding rings. The ceremony ends with the bride and groom touching the feet of their parents to seek blessings.
The bride and groom receive final blessings from their family and then bow down before the priest. Final blessings are also given to the elders and their family members, with the parents receiving the last blessing. As the newlyweds make their way down the aisle, the guests throw flowers and rice to wish them a happy marriage!
After the Wedding Ceremony
The traditions don’t end with the ceremony when you’re having a traditional Indian wedding. There are important rituals to follow leading up to the reception to ensure the marriage gets off to a beautiful start.
Visit Houses
Once the ceremony is over, it’s time to say goodbye to the bride with a ritual called Bidai. This represents the bride moving into the groom’s house and is usually a very emotional time. It can be full of tears and happiness from the bride’s family members. The bride will then be carried from her parents’ house to her groom’s house on a doli, which is a decorated platform with a mattress, roof, and carrying handles. (In most modern weddings, the bride is just carried outside and into a car to drive to the groom’s house.)
Next, the bride arrives at the groom’s house for the Graha Pravesh ceremony. There she is greeted at the front door with a pot of rice called the kalash. She will kick it over with her right leg and enter the house. This tradition is believed to bring an abundance of food, wisdom, and wealth to the new couple.
Throw a Party!
Now it’s time for the reception! The bride and groom are presented as a couple, and the party ensues. There are no formalities for a traditional Indian wedding reception, just good vegetarian food, music, dancing, and celebration of the marriage. It may include traditional Indian entertainment, like choreographed dancers and sitar players, or more modern entertainment, like a DJ or wedding band.
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The planning of a traditional Indian wedding is a journey filled with vibrant colors, rich customs, and heartfelt moments. It’s not just about a day; it’s about crafting a joyful and blessed beginning to a happy marriage. So, embark on this beautiful adventure, savor every moment, and let the traditions lead you to a lifetime of happiness. ❤️
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Megan is the Director of Customer Experience at GigSalad and has gained 9+ years of insight on what makes a great event on both sides of the booking process. Her favorite things include books, true crime podcasts, coffee, hiking, puns, and making people laugh.