Not all weddings are American and not all ceremonies are the same. In some cultures, the wedding ceremony can last even a week! It all depends on the customs and traditions they’ve inherited from their ancestors. There are still many couples who decide to honor their family wedding traditions and plan the wedding according to their culture. Let’s talk about the Indian wedding ceremony for instance. We know that American ceremonies are composed of three essential parts: the rehearsal, the ceremony itself and then the reception party. Indian weddings are vaster than this and extremely different.

In this culture, weddings are very important for the couple and their families. In their view, marriage is sacred and this is why they do so much planning for it. As in many other unique cultures, wedding ceremonies are based on various rituals. The Indian ceremony is a very long and complex affair that sometimes can last several days. Nowadays, Indian couples choose to combine some of their favorite modern elements with their tradition and values. Their wedding celebration is very large, sophisticated and very well planned. Some Indians are still following the tradition of arrange marriages. In these situations, the parents are the ones who select the match for their child.

Indian Wedding Ceremony (Source: weddingelegancesd.com)

And the factors that influence this selection are: socioeconomic background, religious beliefs and the personal taste. Many Indians practice a Hindu-inspired wedding ceremony. But there are so many other influences when it comes to Indian marriage ceremonies, including Christianity. It all depends on the region and community of each couple in part. Indian wedding ceremonies are incredibly large, some of them reaching even 1,000 guests! If you want to adopt the Indian style for your wedding you should do your homework regarding their customs and rites and choose in the end the ones that are closer to your heart or vision. We’ve noticed that many couples of today are flattered by the idea of planning a cultural wedding. It doesn’t matter whether you’re original from India or if you’re a simple American couple.

Indian Wedding Ceremony (Source: blog.jenniferkathryn.com)

You should feel free to adopt any wedding style you want. The Hindu Marriage Act that governs the Indian wedding marriage says that the bride should be at least 18 years, while the male at least 21 years old. As we said before, Indian weddings are elaborated affairs based on long rituals. One of the most important and beautiful ritual that occurs right after the ceremony is the mehndi party rite. The bride is colored with henna tattoos on her hands and some times on her feet. The Sangeet Party is when the family members and other friends of the couple sing & dance in the honor of the bride and groom.

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Written by Postolache Ana-Maria, date May 15, 2012 in wedding ceremony ideas | no comments

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