You are welcome to wear either Indian clothes or American clothes to these events. If you choose to wear American clothes, the frame of mind to keep it in is your "Sunday best" clothing: - Jaago on Friday: dresses for women, and dress pants and button down with ties for men - Temple on Saturday: modest clothing is a must. Men can wear suits, and women would want to wear floor-length, long sleeve dresses or pants since we will be sitting on the floor of the temple. Think of your "Sunday best." If any women are interested in wearing an Indian suit, look up "salwar kameez" on amazon or a site called mirraw.com and always reach out to ask questions. - Evening reception on Sunday: formal cocktail and glitzy dresses and men's suits are welcome
Our wedding ceremony on Saturday will be conducted in Sikh tradition. All people entering the Gurdwara (the Sikh temple) will be required to remove their shoes and cover their heads out of respect for the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh Holy Scripture). Head scarfs and coverings will be provided at the entrance of the Gurdwara for those who need one. Everyone will be invited to sit on the floor of the temple for the duration of the ceremony. There is a long bench at the back of the room for elders or those with physical needs, so please save that space for those who need it most.
After entering the Gurdwara, worshippers walk down the center isle towards the Guru Granth Sahib and pay homage by kneeling and bowing down. Worshippers then take a seat on the floor among the Sangat (congregation). Women will be seated on the left side of the room and men will be seated on the right. After the Sangat is seated, the bride and groom will enter and sit directly in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. The Granthi (Priest) asks permission of God to begin the ceremony, during which the groom, bride and parents stand. The Granthi then reads the Mukh Vaak (the Guru's orders to the Sangat).
The Palla (scarf) ceremony follows in which the bride's father gives one end of the scarf to the groom and the other end to the bride. This denotes the "giving away" of the bride. The Anand Karaj (marriage ceremony) is solemnized by the reading of the Four Lavan (Wedding Hymns) from the Guru Granth Sahib. The Lavan is analogous to the progression of love between husband and wife and that between the individual and God. Each Lavan is read by the Granthi then repeated in musical verses. As each Lavan is sung, the bride and groom, united by the Palla, walk around the Guru Granth Sahib. At the end of the fourth Lavan, the bride and groom are officially married. The entire Sangat stands and asks the Lord to bless the couple and all of mankind, as in all of Sikh prayers.
The ceremony ends with a distribution of Karah Prasad (wheat flour cooked with butter and sugar) to the Sangat as a blessing from God. Following the ceremony, Langar, a community meal shared by all who enter the Gurdwara, will be served.
It is tradition to give cash gifts. For good luck, it is customary to end the amount with $1! For example: $31, $101, etc.