Indian Marriage

Kashmir Wedding

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Kashmir is popularly known as the "Paradise on Earth". Flaunting beautiful valleys, snow covered mountain peaks, stretching plains with flowerbeds and frizzy air, the place has a unique folk-lore, dress, language, traditions and cuisine. Kashmir also has a distinct cultural and ethnic background which is also seen in their marriages. Effervescent and elaborate are two terms that perfectly describe a Kashmiri wedding. It is also said that Kashmiris practice the largest number of rituals and customs, as compared to the other parts of India. However, the best feature about these rituals is that they are enjoyable and give ample of opportunity to all the relatives to enjoy.

Kashmiri wedding ceremony is full of pomp and show. In Kashmiri weddings, horoscope matching of the prospective bride and groom is given a lot of importance. Kashmiris lay emphasis on checking the compatibility between the two families, in terms of background, status and reputation. Once the match is found, pre wedding ceremonies are performed. Thereafter, on the actual day elaborate rituals and ceremonies mark the celebration. Once the bride and the bridegroom tie the nuptial knot, it is time to celebrate and make merry. To know in detail about each of the aspect of Kashmiri matrimonial customs and traditions, explore the information given below.

Kashmiri Pre Wedding Rituals
Wedding is all about merriment and cheerfulness. However to make the day a perfect one, hectic preparations and organizations mark the preparation phase of the weddings and Kashmiri marriage is no exception. Before tying the nuptial knot on the actual day, there are a number of ceremonies that are performed. These traditions practiced are termed as pre-wedding rituals.

Kashmiri Wedding Rituals
A splendid affair, marriages in Kashmir is one of the most flamboyant and ostentatious ones practiced in India. Having its own charm and luster, the huge list of rituals observed before and after the Kashmiri marriage makes it a prolonged affair. Similar to the Hindu marriage, in Kashmiri wedding, a purohit plays a major role in the wedding ceremony. He performs the rituals in front of a sacred fire.

Kashmiri Post Wedding Rituals
Weddings pose as a great time for enjoying and making merry. It gives ample of opportunity to re-bond with all the relatives and rejoice the union of two individuals. One of the vital features of a Kashmiri wedding is the pre, per and post wedding traditions practiced. Apart from the ritualistic practices and the religious obligations that are performed on the wedding day, there are a number of traditions that are specifically practiced after the marriage ceromony is over.

Trends In Bridal Lehenga

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Talking about Indian bridal outfit, the names that crop up into your mind, at the very first instance, are lehenga-choli, sari and salwar-kameez. In the present times, most of the brides, especially in North India, prefer wearing a lehenga-choli for their wedding. The bridal lehenga is adorned with a lot of embellishments, to give it a very rich and luxurious look. In most of the cases, heavy embroidery (with silver or golden thread), stones, crystals and sequins are used to decorate the lehenga of a bride and give it a royal feel.

What Is Lehenga
Lehenga comprises of one of the traditional garments worn by Indian women. Earlier, it used to be worn by women on an everyday basis. However, these days, it is reserved for special occasions only, like wedding or a festival. The dress comprises of a lehenga (skirt), choli (blouse) and dupatta/chunni (stole). The lehenga is an ankle-length skirt, which is draped around the waist, while choli is a midriff-revealing blouse, usually with tight sleeves, shirt sleeves and low neck and back. The dupatta/chunni is just like a stole, which might be slung around the neck or hung from one of the shoulders.

The Styles
In terms of style, you have the option of four different cuts in your bridal lehenga skirt - fish cut, straight cut, A-line cut and flares. In the fish-cut style, the lehenga hugs your body till the knees and thereafter, it erupts into full-on flares. In the second style i.e. straight-cut, the lehenga falls parallel to your legs, just like a wrap-around skirt. The A-line cut, as the name suggests, has the lehenga skirt going in an A-line i.e. the cut broadens with the increase in the length of the skirt. Finally, we have the flared lehenga, in which the skirt is has a lot of pleats around the waist. It is very heavy, but looks extremely beautiful.

The Fabrics
You will find a lot of options in a bridal lehenga, in terms of the fabrics. Amongst the most common fabrics that are used for a bridal lehenga is satin. Owing to its rich feel and flowing texture, it is quite popular amongst brides. Another option comprises of tissue, which gives a royal appeal to the outfit. You can also go for net, with a georgette or satin base, for creating the perfect bridal lehenga. These days, crepe and georgette have also started being included in the fabric choices for a bridal lehenga. Each of the fabrics mentioned here gives a luxurious appeal to the lehenga, thus serving the purpose of the bridal look completely.

The Colors
When you talk about an Indian bridal lehenga, the first color that comes into mind is red. In fact, till some time back, this was the only color that the brides used to opt for. However, the trend changed with the passing times. These days, colors like golden copper, maroon, onion, yellow, pink and brown are also being chosen by the brides. Along with that, dual shade lehengas, like red and yellow, green and red, yellow and pink, are also enjoying increased popularity. Many of the brides, today, do not choose red color for their lehenga, deliberately. This is because they want to look different from the rest of the brides.

Other Options
There are two other variants of a lehenga, namely lancha and sharara, which you can consider, while selecting your bridal outfit. Talking about lancha, the outfit is almost similar to a lehenga, the main difference arising in the style of the shirt (choli). In a lancha, the choli is quite long, going a few inches past the hips. Then, you have the sharara, in which the lehenga skirt is divided vertically, with a stitch in the center. The shirt is bit longer than the conventional choli, covering the hips. While sharara is basically the traditional dress of the Muslim brides, it has now become popular in other weddings as well.

Bridal Jewelry

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Jewelry forms a very important part of the overall attire of an Indian bride. In fact, the bridal look is believed to be incomplete unless the bride wears each and every piece of the jewelry meant for her. In majority of the Indian weddings, you will find the bride wearing yellow gold jewelry. However, depending on the budget, some people might opt for silver, platinum, white gold or diamond jewelry as well. Precious stones, such as ruby, jade, garnet, emerald, amethyst and pearl, are also widely used in Indian bridal jewelry. While you might see some variation in the bridal jewelry, depending on the particular region of the country where it is taking place, the basic items remain the same. Let us know more about the jewelry for an Indian bride.

Types Of Indian Bridal Jewelry

Shringar Patti
Shringar patti can be described as a kind of tiara, usually in gold, which adorns the forehead of the bride. It is placed along her hairline and has a circular plaque in the middle, which hangs below the hair line (on the forehead).

Maang Tikka
Maang Tikka can be said to be a shortened version of the shringaar patti. It comprises of a string, with a center piece attached to one end and a hook to the other. It is worn by the bride in center parting of the hair.

Bridal Set (Necklace & Earrings)
The outfit of a bride is incomplete without the bridal set, which comprises of a heavy neck piece, along with matching earrings. It is usually selected keeping in mind the color and overall style of the bridal dress.

Nath (Nose Ring)
Nath forms yet another important part of the bridal jewelry. It comprises of a studded nose ring, which has a long chain attached to it. The chain is hooked up in the hair of the bride, above the ear.

Chudi (Bangles)
Chudi (bangles), of gold as well as in glass, makes up a part of the overall jewelry worn by a bride. In some of the cases (like Punjabi weddings), the glass bangles are replaced by ivory ones, in red and white color (called chuda).

Hathphool (Bracelet with Rings)
Hathphool is a beautiful piece of jewelry that adorns the wrist as well as the fingers of the bride. It comprises of a bracelet, with one of the more strings attached to it, having rings(s) at the other end.

Anguthi (Finger Rings)
While wearing hathphool is not compulsory for a bride, anguthi surely is. Apart from the engagement ring, in the ring finger of her left hand, she wears one or more gold/diamond rings as well (in the other fingers).

Bichhua (Toe Ring)
An essential part of the bridal jewelry, in many states of India, bichhua comprises of a toe ring, usually in silver. It is also regarded as one of the signs of a married woman and is worn in pairs only.

Payal (Anklet)
Along with the toe ring, a bride is always required to wear payal, also known as pajeb, as a part of her wedding jewelry. It adorns the ankle of a bride, is made of silver (mostly) and has meenakari, kundan or beads as decorations.

Mangal Sutra (Necklace with Black Beads)
The most important part of the bridal jewelry is mangal sutra. However, it is not worn by the bride before the marriage. Rather, it is tied by her husband (around her neck), as symbol of their union. It comprises of a string of black beads, with a gold or diamond pendant.

Kamarband (Waist Band)
In the earlier times, the bride used to wear the kamarband around her waist. A heavy piece of jewelry, it was meant to support the wedding dress and keep in place. These days, it might or might not be worn by the bride.

Baaju Band (Arm Bands)
Baju band used to be a necessary part of the bridal jewelry, at one point of time in the past. However, these days, wearing it is optional. Some brides might wear one in each of the arms, while other may go for a single piece only.

Bridal Mehndi Design

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Wedding is an elaborate affair in India, comprising of a large number of rituals, customs and traditions. One of the important rituals, especially in context of the bride, comprises of 'Mehndi' (commonly known as henna). As a part of this ritual, the powder of henna leaves is mixed with water (and many-a-times, oil and lemon juice as well), to form a paste. This paste is then applied on the hands as well as the feet of the bride, in the form of intricate patterns. The henna is removed only after the design dries off completely. However, the bride cannot wash her hands and feet with water, for the next 12 hours at least, to make sure that the color comes out to be dark and rich.

Significance of Bridal Mehendi
In context of an Indian bride, mehndi is believed to signify the strength of her marriage as well as the amount of love that she will receive in her husband's house. In fact, it is said that the darker the color of the mehendi (on the hands and the feet of a bride), the stronger will be the marriage and longer it will last. At the same time, the dark color of henna is also said to mean that the bride will receive a lot of love from her husband as well as her in-laws. This is the reason why, after the application of bridal henna designs, the bride undertakes a lot of efforts, like applying oil or heat, to ensure that the color is dark. The application of henna, on the bride's hands and feet, is also considered to be auspicious.

Bridal Mehendi Designs & Patterns
Amongst the traditional henna designs, drawn on the hands and feet of a bride, one can include the 'baraat' scene and the 'doli' scene. Baraat is the term used to denote the procession of the groom, including all his family members, relatives and friends, before he arrives at the wedding venue. 'Doli' signifies the end of a wedding ceremony, when the bride goes away with her husband. Both of these designs are extremely intricate and involve long hours of labor. Apart from that, the common bridal mehendi designs include peacock, kalash, flowers, leaves and conch-shells. Whatever be the design, drawing images of the bride and groom, as well writing the groom's name, on bride's hands, is compulsory.

Modern Trends
With the changing times, the type as well as style of bridal mehndi has also undergone a vast change. Rather than the traditional mehndi (made from henna leaves), brides have started opting for tattoo mehendi, chemical mehendi, stone mehendi and even sparkle mehendi. In these types of mehndi, altogether different designs are used and accessories like tattoos, sparkles and stones are added to make eye-catching patterns. Some other henna concepts that one can find in the present times include zardozi mehndi, nail paint mehndi and poster color mehndi. One of the main reason brides are opting for the new styles is that their application takes much lesser time and they do not require hours of drying.

Mehndi Ceremony
Initially, mehendi used to comprise of a small ceremony, in which only the close female relatives and the friends of the bride were invited, along with the family members. They used to apply mehendi on the hands of the bride as well as each other. In the present times, the ceremony has undergone a lot of change. Now, men have also become a part of the ceremony, where the guest list includes almost all the people who are invited to the wedding. Professionals are called in, to apply henna to the bride as well as the guests. Drinks, an elaborate dinner and a rocking DJ form the other aspects of the present-day mehendi ceremony.

Bridal Hair Styles

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Wedding represents the most significant decision in the life of a person. He/she enters a new phase of life, which will comprise of much more love, companionship and even added responsibility. As the wedding day comes closer, the bride as well as the groom gets involved in a lot of preparations, regarding their wedding outfit, accessories, hairstyle, and so on. In case you are the bride and are wondering about the right hairstyle for the D-day, this article will help you make the choice. Go through the following lines and explore haircut styles for a bride, especially an Indian bride.

Bridal Hairstyle Ideas

Traditional Bun Hairstyle
This is the typical bridal hairstyle that you will find in almost all the Indian weddings, especially the ones that take place in northern parts of the country. The hair is gathered together and twisted to form a huge bun. This hairstyle works the best in case of long hair. In case you have short hair, extensions will be required. After the hairstyle is complete, adornments, in the form of flowers and accessories, are used to adorn the hair and make the style more elaborate.

Traditional Updo Hairstyle With A Twist
If you want to be a bit different on your wedding, but not do something really unconventional, then going for a traditional updo, but with a twist, will be the best bet. In this hairstyle, rather than twisting, different sections of hair are curled and pinned up. The curls, together, are given the shape of a bun. This hairstyle is much more fashionable than the traditional one, however works well only with medium length hair or short length hair (which will need extensions).

Bun on the Side Hairstyle
Yet another variation of the traditional Indian wedding hairstyle comes in the form of 'bun on the side' hairstyle. In this style, rather than placing the bun high on the head, it is moved to the side. Following a thorough blow-dry, the hair is combed straight and pulled into a low puffed up hair bun, onto one side. You should go for this hairstyle only if you have well-defined cheekbones and prominent eyes. Otherwise, it might not look too good.

Spanish Updo Wedding Hairstyle
If you want to go for an updo hairstyle, but not the usual run-of-the-mill stuff, then the Spanish updo might just impress you. However, it will work the best if you have long and thick hair. The hair is blow-dried, to give more volume and then parted horizontally. The upper part of the hair is done up, with elaborate curls, while the other is left to flow down the back. The updo can be adorned with flowers, crystals, or even bows.

Bohemian Wedding Hairstyle
If you are ready to experiment with something different on your wedding day, going for Bohemian wedding hairstyle is a good idea. It works well with long and flowing hair. You will need to set your hair in Velcro curls and use a blow-dryer. Once the curls are set, pull your hair away from the face and crown them with a gold (or any other) tiara. The hair will be left loose at the back. Go for this hairstyle only if your wedding has been planned in the winter season.

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Your wedding is just around the corner and, just like any other bride, you want to look your best on the D-day, mainly because it is the most important occasion of your life. Another reason you cannot afford to goof-up on the day is that all the eyes (of the guests) will be on your only. Apart from your dress, it is the accessories that help give you the perfect look on the wedding day. So, ensure that you select them with care and coordinate them perfectly with your wedding day outfit. In case you need any help, make use of the tips given below, in relation to accessories for the Indian bride.

Choosing Indian Bridal Accessories

Jewelry
Jewelry forms the most important aspect of Indian bridal accessories. You need to make sure that it goes with the color as well as the type of your dress - lehenga or sari. For instance, if you have silver embroidery on your sari, wearing yellow-gold based jewelry will make you look really odd. Rather, you need to go for something in white gold, platinum or even silver. If you cannot afford to buy matching jewelry, the option of hiring is always available.

Shoes
Yet another accessory that needs a lot of attention on your part comprises of the shoes. They can make or mar your overall look completely. So, select them with due consideration, keeping in mind the color as well as style of your outfit. At the same time, remember, you will be standing for a long duration of time, in the wedding. So, comfort is one aspect that you cannot simply afford to overlook, while buying shoes for the wedding day.

Bag
After jewelry and shoes, comes the handbag that you will be carrying. Please do not carry a plain-looking bag and end up spoiling the whole look. In an Indian wedding, the outfit of the bride is very rich, in terms of color, fabric as well as embroidery. So, you need to buy a bag that goes with the overall look of opulence. If you do not like being too glitzy or carrying a colorful bag, opting for one in silver, golden or copper will be a good option.

Hair Accessories
One of the main hair accessories that Indian brides go for comprises of flowers. In fact, in many of the cultures, adorning hair with flowers is a compulsion for the bride. Apart from that, you can go for other accessories as well, such as pins with little roses made on them or with a glitzy ball as the head. It will surely help add to the overall bridal look.

Some General Tips

One of the most important tips that you need to keep in mind, while selecting the bridal accessories, is that it should go with your overall personality. Remember that this is most special day of your life and you need to make it as personalized as possible.
In case you have opted for a theme wedding, the accessories will need to be selected accordingly. Not doing the same will make you look out of place. And we are sure that you would not want that to happen, at least on your own wedding day.
The bridal accessories that you go for should complement your outfit and add to the overall look that you want to create. It is always advisable to go for colors similar to the wedding dress, so that the accessories do not end up catching all the attention.
Last, but not the least, you need to keep your comfort in mind. Indian wedding is a lengthy affair and unless and until you feel comfortable, you will not be able to enjoy it. So, make sure that you do not end up compromising comfort, in favor of style.

Bridal Hair Care Tips

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n the days preceding the wedding, the bride does not even get the time to take an easy breath, forget about anything else. So many preparations have to be done, right from deciding the dress to taking the right bridal package. However, there are certain aspects that she simply cannot afford to forget and one of them comprises of hair care. You would not want to mar your overall look on the wedding day, simply because of your rough, dull and unruly hair. Remember, taking out a few minutes on a daily basis, to care for your hair, will go a long way in making them look healthy and full of sheen. In case you need any help, the hair care tips for brides, given below, will prove useful.

Hair Care for Brides

You will need to categorize your hair into any of the three types - oily, dry and normal and care for them accordingly. In case it is dry or oily, you might consider the option for using special products or taking proper treatments to ensure that they look healthy on the wedding day.
As far as possible, avoid the use of blow-dryers or straightening irons on your hair. At the same time, stay away from the styling products, like hair sprays, mousse, gels, etc. Rather, opt for products that comprise of natural ingredients and shun all the chemical-based ones.
Always use a wide-toothed comb to remove the tangles from your hair and avoid using a brush for the same. Also, try not to comb your hair when it is dripping wet. This might lead to excessive breakage, as wet hair is quite fragile and brittle.
Keep proper care of your diet. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water in a day and increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables will help improve the overall health of your hair. Avoid foods that contain too much oil or spices.
It is always advisable to go for monthly deep conditioning treatments, from your stylist. In case this proves too expensive for you, undertake the same at home, using a leave in conditioner. However, get at least one treatment from the stylist, a few days before the D-day.
Wash your hair at least 2-3 times in a week and make sure to use a good conditioner every time. As far as possible, stick to a protein conditioner, as it helps improves the health of hair. If you want, you can opt for herbal conditioners as well, which do not contain any chemicals.
Save your hair from extremes of temperature. Avoid going out in heavy wind or harsh sun. If it is not possible to avoid the same, make sure to cover your hair, with a scarf, before you step out. This will protect your hair and help minimize the damage.
You can always opt for spa treatments, such as hot oil massage and aroma therapy, as a part of bridal hair care. Apart from helping rejuvenate the hair, these treatments also help impart a healthy and glossy sheen to the hair. Get at least one treatment in the days preceding the wedding.
Avoid going for any drastic hair change a few days before the wedding. Coloring your hair in a completely new color or getting it permed or even going for a wild haircut is not at all advisable before the wedding. If you want to experiment, make sure that it is 3-4 months before the D-day.

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Muslim wedding ceremony is celebrated with grandeur. Muslim wedding, known as 'Nikaah' in Urdu, can take place at any convenient time, because there is nothing like muhurat (the auspicious time) for the Muslims. Traditionally, the Muslim wedding is held at either the bride or the groom's home. However, in the present time, due to convenience and the availability of enough space to accommodate the long list of guests, Muslim weddings are organized in banquet halls, auditorium as well as community centers. Wherever the wedding is held, all the rituals of the three phases of wedding are strictly followed by the Muslims.

Muslim wedding is divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. Pre-wedding rituals largely involve the exchange of sweets, fruits and visits to the bride and groom's houses. The pre-wedding rituals increase the level of excitement among the families of the bride and groom, who keenly look forward to the wedding day. The wedding is organized in an elegant and charming way, while the culmination of the entire ceremony, known as post wedding rituals, is special in its own terms. If you are keen about knowing more about Muslim wedding, then go through our section, where we have provided detailed information on the rituals of Muslim wedding.

Muslim Pre-Wedding Rituals
Known as 'Nikah' in Urdu, the Muslim marriage is the most important ceremony for the Islam. It is a much awaited occasion, wherein the union of two souls is celebrated in an elegant and charming way. It is not just restricted to a single day. The formal procedures are divided into pre-wedding, wedding and post wedding, each being different from the other.

Muslim Wedding Rituals
Wedding is an important turning point in everyone's life. The ceremonious occasion is organized and celebrated in myriad ways all around the world. Different communities of the society have their own way of organizing the most important occasion. The wedding rituals are broadly divided according to the religions.

Muslim Post-Wedding Rituals
In India, wedding is something that cannot be restricted to a single-day celebration. People in different communities, following different religions, have their own way of honoring the newly wed couple, post marriage. The post-wedding rituals followed by Muslims are divided into four phases, wherein the bride is bid goodbye by her family and is welcomed to her 'new home', by the groom's family.

Hindu Marriage Act

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Unlike West, marriage in India is regarded more as a religious and social affair than a legal affair. Despite a very detailed chapter on the Indian marriages in the Indian constitution, most of the people in the country are unaware of the laws associated with marriages. In a cosmopolitan culture like India where umpteen numbers of cultures and religion prevail under the same canopy, it is very difficult to regulate all the customs by same kind of regulation especially of the matter is related with sensitive issues like marriage and hierarchy. Therefore, different kinds of Marriage Acts have been defined for different religions in the country. The Hindu marriage is governed by, ‘The Hindu Marriage Act', which came into existence on 18 May 1955.

Basic Provisions of Hindu Marriage Act

The provision under the Act is that it applies to any person who is Hindu by religion and it is also applicable to Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhsas well as and the person who is not a Muslim, Christian, Parsi or Jew, and who is not governed by any other law.
It extends to the entire India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and it is applicable to Hindus domiciled in the territories to which this Act extends who are outside the said territories.
Under this law the bridegroom should be of 21 years of age and the bride should be of 18 years of age. They both should be Hindu by origin and should not be within the degree of prohibited relationship. Neither party should have a spouse living nor any party should be subject to recurrent attacks of insanity or epilepsy, either of them should not be suffering from mental disorders or should not be unfit for marriage and procreation of children and both should be of sound mind and capable of giving valuable consent.
Bigamy or Polygamy is now prohibited and as per law it is treated as an offence under the Indian Penal code.
Just like marriages the law also governs divorces. Under the law divorce can be obtained on the grounds of adultery, cruelty, desertion for two years, conversion in religion, unsound mind, etc.
The Hindu Marriage law has also described certain prohibited relationships whose marriage is not legalized. Like father and daughter, son and mother, brother and sister and many more.
The Hindu Marriage act also does not set any prescribe or particular ceremonial for marriage. It states that a Hindu marriage may be formalized in accordance with the customary rites and ceremonies of either party. Where rituals include the saptapadi (seven steps by the bridegroom and the bride jointly before the sacred fire), the marriage is said to be solemnized once the seventh step is taken.
It has now become mandatory to register a Hindu Marriage.

Christian Wedding Ceremony

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Christians are an important part of Indian culture. Though the population of the Christians in the country is less as compared to that of Hindus and Muslims, the Christian religion has a deep impact on the contemporary Indian Culture. Christian culture is very sober and elegant especially a Christian Wedding despite being simple and sober is a visual delight. Like other Indian marriages, the Indian Christian Wedding is also an elaborative affair spread over pre wedding, wedding and post wedding rituals. Read on if you are keen on the detailed description of tradition and ritual of an Indian Christian Wedding ceremony.

Pre-Wedding Ritual

Bridal Shower
Among the main pre wedding rituals there are functions like bridal shower, which is an informal hen party hosted by the bride's female friends. It is mainly a female get together to celebrate the occasion. It is a fun filled function where games are played, they sing and dance the whole night. The friends and relatives shower gifts upon the bride. The bride serves a pink cake with a thimble hidden inside. According to tradition, the girl who gets the slice of cake with the thimble in it will be the next to marry.

Stag Party
Just like the bridal shower, which is an all girl's party a bachelor's party is also celebrated by the groom and his male friends. It is called a stag party hosted by the groom on the eve of his wedding or a couple of days earlier. Usually this is a wild party, and the groom is expected to enjoy his last night as a bachelor. It is customary to raise a toast before the drinking begins in earnest. It is mostly celebrated to have fun and enjoyment with his close fiends.

Welcoming the bride
Welcoming the bride is done on the day of the wedding; when the groom sends a car to pick up the bride and waits for her outside the church. When the bride arrives, the Best Man welcomes her with a kiss on either cheek and hands her a bouquet of flowers.

Wedding Ritual
Once the bride reaches the church and is received by the best men, the bride and the groom walk slowly and gracefully with the wedding procession in tow till they reach where the priest stands for the wedding mass. The priest then welcomes them and offers his best wishes. The wedding mass begins with hymns and selected readings from the Bible. The priest then delivers the homily, with an emphasis on the sanctity of marriage. The next ritual is the blessing and the exchange of the wedding rings. The ceremony comes to an end with the final blessing of the priest. The guests, towards the end, shower their blessings on the newly wedded couple. The last formality is the couple then signs the register and walk down aisle, arm in arm.

Post-Wedding Ritual
In the post wedding rituals like weddings the rest of the Indian marriages, Christian weddings are also followed by reception party, which is a grand affair where the newly-weds enter the venue and are welcomed by all with a shower of confetti. They cut the wedding cake and feed each a bite of the first slice. The Toastmaster proposes a toast in honor of the couple. The reception is mostly celebrated with dance and dinner party. In many function a live band performs and everybody dances to the tune of the band.

Arya Samaj Wedding

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In India, the wedding rituals and customs in any family are mainly based on the religion or community that the family follows. The community only decides the kind of wedding ceremony that a couple would have. There are many people in India who don't believe in these specific and staunch rituals or grand and elaborate celebrations of the Hindu wedding function. For them, who are not so particular about the rules and regulations of their religion and community or want to keep their marriage a low key affair, Arya Samaj Marriage is a very convenient wedding option for them.

An Arya Samaj wedding is conducted by the Arya Samaj, founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswathi in any of its temple. The marriage in Arya Samaj wedding is performed as per Vedic rites and thus does not require any flamboyance. In fact, simplicity is the main essence of Arya Samaj wedding. Though the Arya Samaj weding is meant only for Hindus, any non-Hindu can also be allowed to undergo the marriage rituals if he undergoes the process of conversion through Shuddhi i.e. Purification.

The Arya Samaj wedding ceremony is performed with the fire and other elements as the witnesses since they don't believe in idol worshipping. In an Arya Samaj wedding, the mantras, which are chanted, are translated into a language that the couple can understand so that the couple can relate themselves to the meaning and significance of the wedding mantras. This wedding is different from the traditional Hindu wedding in the sense that it does not involves elaborate rituals and the ceremony is not extended over a long period of time. The wedding ceremony lasts for an hour and the wedding expense is very low compared to the normal traditional Hindu wedding.

The main rituals of the wedding are as follows:

Madhuparka is a ritual in which the bride and the groom arrive at the venue of the wedding the groom partakes of 'Madhuparka', which is a mixture of honey, curds and cream. The bride gives the groom water three times, which he sprinkles on his feet, over his body and drinks it the third time. Similarly, the groom also follows the ritual. This ritual symbolizes the commencement of their journey into a happy married life.
The ritual of kanyadaan is the one in which the parents of the bride offer their daughter's hand in marriage to the groom.
Havanv is the ritual where the wedding is solemnized in front of the Agni or holy fire, which is considered life. The priest chants the mantras invoking blessing for happy married life.
In the Pani Grahan Sanskar the groom takes the bride's hands in his and chants mantras promising to be beside her in times of need and look after all her needs. Then there are rituals like Shilarohan, Lajahom, Parikrama , and Saptapadi, which are followed.
Lastly the ritual ends with the Aashirwaad ceremony where the newly wedded couple takes the blessing of all the elders in the family.