Indian Wedding 101
What are all these events?
Mehndi Night begins our pre-wedding festivities. Serving as a welcome dinner for close friends and family, guests can apply mehndi, enjoy flavorful food, and mingle. The Grah Shanti, a sacred puja to invite peace and blessings into the couple’s new life, and Haldi, where turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom to purify, protect, and bring out their wedding glow, take place in the morning following. The rest of our guests will join our Friday evening event, Garba—a dance night that brings everyone together in celebration. The wedding day begins with the groom’s Baraat, where he dances with family and friends in a procession. A ceremony between the bride and groom’s families follows, leading to the bride’s special entrance and the sacred rituals of the Hindu wedding. The reception at night is a festive evening of speeches, dancing, and dinner to celebrate the newlyweds. Naps between events and lots of caffeine are highly recommended!
What Should I Wear?
Indian weddings are filled with vibrant colors and beautiful outfits! Guests are welcome to wear Indian attire, though it is not required. For pre-wedding events, semi-formal American or Indian clothing is appropriate. For the Garba event, we will be dancing a lot! We recommend American or Indian outfits that are comfortable, allow for arm movement, and include flowy or fuller skirts. For the wedding ceremony, please do not wear Black. Indian formal or American formal attire is appropriate. Many guests choose to change outfits between the ceremony and reception. For the reception, American cocktail attire is perfectly appropriate, and those who prefer Indian formal attire are encouraged to wear it as well. Attire details are also in the RSVP link. Link below has a guide to different types of Indian wear. You can borrow outfits from friends or purchase your own. Popular options include Mirraw (most affordable), Lashkaraa, House of Indya, and Kalki. Reach out if you have any questions!
Garba 101
We are excited to share one of our favorite Gujarati traditions with you! Garba is a fun dance event and we would love for everyone to join! You don't need to learn these dances before hand, you can definitely learn them on the spot. Garba starts with very slow music that gets faster and faster. You start with a simple two or three step motion in circular formation. As the music gets faster, different lines join in with more intricate steps. Then, we do a different traditional dance called dandiya, which involves pairs. Dancers form two lines facing each, tap sticks with their partner, then skip the next person to switch partners. This creates a rotation where everyone dances with multiple people. You have to join and leave the lines in pairs or it throws off the line. The music starts slow and speeds up so you have lots of time to learn. But if you make a mistake, don't worry! It's about having fun, enjoying the moment and celebrating the upcoming wedding!