Tips For Attending An Indian Wedding

Indian wedding ceremonies are considered to be one of the most celebrated and colorful in the whole world. If you are joining the ceremony especially for the first time it will be a very exciting and joyful experience for you. Whether you are attending a Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh wedding you go through several common things when you first attend an Indian wedding.

One most important thing before the start of an Indian wedding is to fix the wedding date. Traditionally the wedding dates are fixed by the astrologers because they have to match the ‘kundalis’ of both bride and the groom. This is done for the couples’ peaceful married life.

The second most important thing before the start of a wedding is to invite friends and family members to the event. For that, you have to need an invitation card, and finding a designer who meets your criteria is crucial. A wedding card designer will help you personalize Indian wedding invitations fulfilling your requirements.

Tips For Attending An Indian Wedding

Indian Wedding

If you are attending an Indian wedding for the first time you will have to face several rituals, etiquette, and tradition. To face these here are some following tips which you can follow to enjoy the wedding more gracefully and in an easy manner.

1. Wedding dress etiquette

Wedding Dress

There is no proper dress code in an Indian wedding but dressing modestly is a must i.e no bare shoulders or knees. For female guests, a sari or lehenga will be perfect to show respect to religious rituals and for men sherwani and suits are perfect. Western wear is also acceptable. For men, colorful garments are also a good choice. Short skirts or tight fitted clothes should be avoided by female guests. You should avoid black and white clothes as it’s considered a colour of sadness and bad luck. Jewellery is also considered an important part of the dressing.

2. Strange timing of wedding ceremonies

Wedding Ceremonies

Many Indian weddings happen at some strange hours of either day or night. Because the time of the wedding is often chosen by an astrologer. Sometimes the event happens around 3-4 am in the morning, especially the weddings which happen in North India. So always remember to ask the hosts whether it’s early morning or a late-night wedding so that you adjust your sleeping time accordingly.

3. Long wedding dates

An average Indian wedding lasts for at least 3 days or even a week long. Many small events happen in Indian weddings which include Haldi, Sangeet, 4-5 hours main ceremony and finally the reception. So adjust your time accordingly so that you can attend all of the events which you are invited to.

4. Know the rituals

Lots of colorful rituals happen in an Indian wedding, especially in Hindu weddings. Many individual ceremonies such as Mehendi, Saptapadi, or the chanting of vows, all have meaning behind them. To enjoy the wedding to the fullest you have to know about all these rituals. For example, the Mehndi event in an Indian wedding happens just before the night of the main wedding ceremony. If you are attending a North Indian or a West Indian wedding you will experience reception or barat just after the marriage.

5.Involvement in wedding ceremony

Almost all Indian weddings need lots of guest involvement, from witnessing the wedding to blessing the couples, you have to take part in all key events and activities. Sometimes guests also have to dance at the reception. According to Indian weddings, getting involved means you are showing respect towards both the bride and groom.

6.Enjoying the delicacies

As a guest, you have to enjoy and take part in the wedding feast, it means that you are giving approval to this wedding and also giving best wishes to the newly married couples. After entering the wedding venue you will be served appetizers and snacks. Usually, the main menu is served after the marriage ceremony is over. In South India, you will be served only with veg foods, but in North and East Indian marriages you will be served with both veg and non-veg foods.

7.Kissing and dancing with the bride is not allowed

After the wedding event, there is a reception day where couples receive blessings and gifts from their relatives, close ones, and friends. The reception ceremony is full of fun, music and also dancing with relatives and close ones. But during this time kissing and dancing with the bride is not allowed by any male guest. According to Indian culture, the bride should be shy on her wedding event day.

8.Giving money as a wedding gift

Wedding Gift

Giving gifts is one of the traditions in Indian wedding culture. Giving money is a traditional wedding gift as it’s considered the most helpful gift for couples as they are starting their new lives. You have to give the money to the couples in a designer envelope or a bag with your best wishes for their new life.

9.Take photos cautiously

In almost all Indian weddings taking photos are allowed but during some traditional wedding rituals even photographers are not allowed to take photos as the flash of the cameras often distracts the process of the wedding rituals. So before you take a photo, look around to see if anyone is clicking pictures or not.

10.Book a hotel in advance

Usually, Indian wedding ceremonies are held with thousands of guests held in attendance. So to get a hotel room is quite a task as they are already booked and the prices are also high, especially the hotels which are close to the wedding ceremony venue. You have to book a hotel room immediately after receiving an invitation to an Indian wedding ceremony to get a room easily.

So these are the points you should remember before attending any Indian wedding ceremony. Usually, these Indian weddings are quite colorful and vibrant in nature with age-old traditions. If you get a chance to attend an Indian wedding ceremony, don’t miss it, as it is a lifetime experience you will never forget.