FAQs

Question

What should I wear for all the events?

Answer

This is a common question! If you do not plan to wear Indian attire, all events are formal attire. For the first part of Sunday, the Baraat and Wedding, do not wear Black, White, or Red. Reception, as mentioned, is formal attire and you can wear whatever you like!

Question

What can I expect to see at an Indian wedding ceremony?

Answer

First.......the Baraat, or groom's procession (https://tinyurl.com/y2xmgutm). For this, the groom arrives to the ceremony on a decorated white horse. Guests dance around him to the beat of a dhol, an Indian drum. After that, the bride and her family greet the groom, and the couple exchanges floral garlands to wear around their necks to symbolize their acceptance of each other. For the ceremony, the priest, groom, bride and bride's parents sit beneath a mandap, a canopy similar to a Jewish chuppah. The ceremony starts off with the kanya daan, in which the bride's parents give her away. Then the couple joins hands and circles around a small, enclosed fire (the agni) in a ritual called the mangal phera. Then the couple will take the saptapadi, or seven steps, as they vow to support each other and live happily together. Finally, the groom will apply a red powder to the center of the bride's forehead and tie a black beaded necklace around her neck, symbolizing she's now a married woman.

Question

What is a Baraat?!

Answer

Please view this video to understand what the Baraat is......be ready to dance! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVZVyPC4ybc

Question

Should I bring a gift?

Answer

Couples usually request that there be no boxed gifts at the wedding, so guests usually have gifts shipped to the couple's home or bring an envelope with money.

Question

Do you have a hashtag?

Answer

Yup, we sure do! #VarmarriesaBerry

Question

I'm kind of picky when it comes to food. Will there be anything for me to eat at an Indian wedding reception?

Answer

Two of the most common misconceptions about Indian food are that it's all spicy and it's all vegetarian. In reality, it depends on which state the couple's families are from. When served in the US, though, the food tends to be North Indian, meaning you'll see a spread of naan (a flatbread) with different curries, samosas (savory pastries with spiced meats or vegetables), pakoras (fritters) and a dessert display, which typically includes cake, kulfi (Indian ice cream) and decorated sweets made from nuts. There'll often be up to four stations of chefs preparing food for guests.

Question

I hear the bride and groom and their families play games during the ceremony - what's this about?

Answer

There are a lot of fun traditions surrounding Indian weddings. One is for the bride's sisters (or cousins) to steal the groom's shoes as he takes them off before entering the mandap. The groom must pay the sisters to get them back because he is supposed to leave the mandap with the same shoes he came in. Another game occurs when the bride and groom race to their seats after circling a fire, as it is said that the first one to sit down will have the upper hand in the household.

Question

Do you have room block info for the hotel?

Answer

Hello! Please use our Room Block to book your hotel stay for our wedding. The URL for the Room Block is https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/RESTO/G-VBWD The link is the recommended way for guests to book rooms in the block. We also have a toll free number guests can call to reserve through the block, however it is not recommended. Toll free number is: 877-803-7534 and guests must mention the block name, Varma-Berry Wedding Block and Hyatt Regency Reston. The hotel has garage parking which will be half off each night for out of town guests staying at the hotel, 25 percent off for in town guests who will not be staying. Reston Town Center has other garages, which are walking distance, that offer free parking over the weekend.

Question

What is a Mehndi?

Answer

Mehndi Night is generally the kick-off of the wedding celebrations. It’s an evening where close female friends and family members gather at the house of the bride to have mehndi (also known as henna) applied on them. The bride will of course get a special treatment, and often has the mehndi applied to both her hands and feet, which requires her to sit still for hours on end. It’s believed by many that the darker the colour of the bride’s mehndi, the deeper the groom’s love for his bride. While the women are having the mehndi applied, there’s also usually lots of singing, dancing and good food to go around.