6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
What to wear: Wear whatever you feel comfortable in =) Traditionally we wear simple cotton and silk clothing, like mundus, kurtas, salwars, and sarees.
**Per CDC guidelines, we will require (and provide) masks for this event.** In Malayalee weddings, the madhuram vekkal is a ceremony that occurs the night before the wedding. Traditionally, all the neighbors, family, and friends come to the house to celebrate the bride and groom before they become one. Elders in each family feed sweets (or madhuram) to the bride and groom. This ceremony reminds everyone that the life they begin together should become sweet as the madhuram they accept. In Pakistani and South Asian weddings in general, the mehendi (henna) and manjal (haldi) is a celebration also done the night before the wedding. To prepare the bride and groom for their big day, the bride is decorated with mehendi (henna) on her hands and feet. Friends and family will take turns swiping a manjal (haldi) mixture on the groom. The turmeric-based mix is used in ayurvedic practice to naturally refresh the complexion. Come ready to eat and dance to Desi music!
10:00 am - 11:00 am
What to wear: Formal and modest attire. We encourage you to match the theme by wearirng shades of teal, gold, emerald, and beige.
Please be seated by 10:30AM. We recommend arriving by 10:00 or 10:15 to park and walk over to the gazebo for the ceremony. We will be doing an Islamic Nikah wedding ceremony together. The Nikah, officiated by an Imam, is the opportunity for the the couple to accept and formalize their religious marriage in front of God, with their family and friends as witness. The bride and groom accept by saying "qubool" ( "I do" ) three times in front of everyone. The couple, along with their witnesses, then signs the Nikah (contract), formalizing their marriage under God. The Imam will then recite excerpts from the Qur'an, followed by a khutbah (a short sermon) about the meaning of marriage for the now husband and wife. Per Kerala tradition, the groom will then place a thaali mala (wedding necklace) on the bride, and gift her with a manthragodi (a fine silk saree), that she will wear for the reception.
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
After the Nikah ceremony, guests can head over to the pavilion for appetizers as the bridal party takes photos around the estate. Our families will announce the happily married couple, and then we all feast! We wanted a more intimate, family feeling. Rather than having formal table assignments, sit wherever, and with whomever you like. Lunch will be buffet style, so eat well! We'll have a collaborative Spotify playlist going, seeded with our favorite Desi love songs. Add your own tunes, dance, enjoy each others' company, and be merry!