Your wedding day should include all of the important customs and rituals that are unique to your culture and vision. East Indian weddings are exciting and colorful celebrations that observe important rituals for some, and create an exotic experience for others. Whether it is part of culture or to create a unique experience, Crystal Ballroom North Tampa designs unforgettable Indian weddings.
The Colors of Indian Weddings
Red and gold are the traditional colors of Indian weddings. Blue and yellow are often incorporated into the decor. According to some traditions, the bride's and groom's homes are decorated with colorful balloons and vibrant decorations on the ceilings, walls and floors. A bride might consider adding colorful balloons to the reception area to incorporate this element. Red table runners, and gold and red chair sashes are an opportunity to incorporate more color into the theme. Gold lanterns or gold candelabras create perfect wedding centerpieces for Indian weddings. Roses, marigolds and orchids are colorful flowers to match the theme.
The Mandap at Indian Weddings
The mandap is essential to Indian weddings. This covered structure is an elaborately decorated tent where all the magic occurs. If you are considering a Hindu or Jain wedding, you will want a mandap at your ceremony. This is where the bride and groom sit upon royal chairs, the ceremony takes place and they circle the fire. The mandap is decorated using kalashas, garlands of fruit leaves and colorful flowers.
The Baraat
A Hindu wedding begins with Baraat. The Baraat is the groom’s celebration, and is dedicated to welcoming the groom’s family to the wedding venue. The Groom is transported by family members, friends and groomsmen to the wedding venue in a procession. Traditionally, the groom arrives on a white horse. However, the Baraat entrance is usually made by an extravagant limousine at modern Indian weddings. Upon arriving at the venue, the groom is greeted by the bride’s family, and tilak or red colored paste is applied to his forehead to ward off an evil eye. The groom continues into the venue to meet with the male relatives of the bride.
Varmala Ceremony
The Varmala ceremony is the moment when the bride and groom meet before the wedding. This is an important part of Indian weddings. This is the ceremony where the bride and groom exchange a garland of flowers, symbolic of the acceptance of marriage. This ceremony signifies the beginning of the wedding rituals at Indian weddings. The Groom makes his entrance to the wedding venue first, and awaits the mother of the bride. After the mother of the bride applies tilak on his forehead, he takes a seat at the mandap and awaits the bride to exchange the garland.
The Ceremony
The rituals and process of the actual ceremony vary; however, there are three universal key rituals to incorporate into Indian weddings. The key elements of the ceremony are Kanyadaan, when a father gives away his daughter, Panigrahana, when the groom takes the right hand of the bride, and Saptapadi, the seven steps around the fire.
Kanyadaan is a ritual that occurs after Varmala. It is a ceremony to symbolize the father giving away his daughter. During Indian weddings, the father takes his daughter’s right hand, places it into the grooms, and requests that he take his daughter as an equal partner. As the kama-sukta (hym to love) is recited, the groom accepts.
After joining their hands, the mother of the bride pours water over the palm of her husband’s hands, allowing it to trickle over the bride’s and groom’s hands. A dividing curtain between the bride and groom is lowered, and the meeting of the bride and groom or the Kanyadaan occurs.
Panigrahan is an important part of Indian weddings. The groom takes the right hand of the bride in his left and accepts her as his lawfully wedded wife. Sometimes the bride and groom sit holding hands while their hands are covered with a cloth to ward off an evil eye. The groom faces the west and the bride sits before him with her face looking towards the east as the Rig vedic mantra is recited.
Saptapadi at Indian weddings signifies the union of the bride and groom. The marriage is not complete, unless the bride and groom take seven steps clockwise around the holy fire. This represents seven promises or vows to each other. The groom takes the bride by the hand and leads her four complete circles around the holy fire. Then the bride leads the groom the remaining three circles around the fire. With the completion of the seventh step, the marriage ceremony is complete.
Indian Weddings at Crystal Ballroom North Tampa
If you are dreaming up romance, color and the significant symbolism found in Indian weddings, dream no more. Crystal Ballroom North Tampa is an all-inclusive venue with professional designers that are dedicated to the creation of your dream wedding. Crystal Ballroom can create your unique version of traditional Indian weddings to accommodate all the colors, customs and decor you envision.
