prepare for an indian wedding
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While an average American wedding may have some religious ties, most American weddings occur primarily as social ceremonies. In India, a wedding has significantly more religious ties because the wedding traditions have remained the same over centuries. Indian weddings signify the unification of two families and focuses on the two families as much as the bride and groom. Planning and preparing for an Indian wedding takes a lot of time, as budget, decorating, dates and choice of the bride and groom must also fall under consideration.
Instructions
1
Choose a couple for the wedding. Indian tradition and religion dictates that parents choose mates for their son or daughter. While more modern wedding now consist of love marriages, many Indian weddings still focus on a betrothed couple chosen by the parents. Many things are considered when choosing a couple, including the horoscope and astral projections of the potential brides and grooms.
2
Throw a preparations party or engagement party. Shortly after betrothal or a love marriage engagement, the bride and groom-to-be and their families throw a smaller party for just the families to attend. At this ceremony the family can begin to discuss plans for the wedding, including dates, themes, colors and planning of the wedding invitations. This formal engagement party is referred to in India as a Roku or Sagaai and usually consists of the exchanging of gifts among the two families.
3
Determine a date for the wedding. In most cases, the families or the couple will meet with a religious figure to determine the wedding date. The date must be chosen by looking into the bride and groom's horoscopes, birthday, phases of the moon and astrological charts. Choosing a date in this way ensures the couple picks the luckiest day for their union.
4
Create wedding invitations for the ceremony. Indian wedding invitation cards hold more meaning than simple stating the date of the wedding. Most couples choose to display the text of the invitation in red and gold, colors meant to represent both luck and wealth for the future couple. In addition, it is also a custom to place images of both the bride and groom's beloved gods or goddesses on the card.
5
Prepare wedding programs for the guests of the bride and groom. In Indian culture, the guests of the bride and groom receive different forms of the wedding program. However, both forms feature Indian or English text and begin with an invocation to the Hindu gods. Regardless of the language choice for the program, the Vedric Sanskrit mantras must be included.
6
Shop for wedding clothes, jewelry and decorations for the wedding. Bear in mind any color or theme choices while shopping. Try to gather all these necessary items months before the wedding to prevent last-minute shopping. Often the entire family takes part in these preparations.
Tips &- Warnings
Learn about more traditions and ceremonies conducted as part of the week-long wedding celebration. You may need to prepare food, plan and decorate for these events as well.
Tags: bride groom, date wedding, engagement party, guests bride, guests bride groom, Indian wedding, Indian weddingsSource: www.ehow.com
