Kavitha's Wedding

king yeung's friend got married last sunday and both of us attended her wedding ceremony which was held in a Hindu temple. these were some of the photos i took which i thought would be interesting to write about.

One of the most distinctive features of an Indian wedding is their elaborate ceremony and rituals which the bridegroom and the bride have to perform before they are made husband and wife.

Indian weddings are full of customs and traditions and are celebrated on a grand scale with lot of fan-fare. One of the most remarkable features of an Indian wedding is that it not just marks the coming together of two individuals who are getting married but also the coming together of their respective families.

Attending an Indian wedding is a grand affair and every Indian ladies will deck out prettily in in their beautiful sarees and their hair is adorned with strings of jasmine flowers. Jasmine, known as "The Queen of Perfume", was used to anoint kings and wealthy people of the society. It has a very strong distinct smell and supposingly very soothing to the senses.

there are many websites which wrote in details about indian weddings. i am not going to the same thing here, but just to describes each pictures i have uploaded here because i was there and it was my experience of attending an indian wedding and i also feel its little details are worth mentioning.

Picture 1: the drawing on the floor is known as kolam. It is thought to bestow prosperity to the homes. For special occasions limestones and red brick powderwder to contrast are also used.

Picture 2: i wasn't sure what was this big brass basin filled with water and flowers doing on the floor. but i thought it looked very pretty.

Picture 3: beetle leaf( paan), areca nut( supari); It is a mouth freshener as well as aids digestion. but i didn't try any because i wasn't sure if it is for the guests or as offering to the gods.

Picture 4: This ceremonial wedding music was played on flute-type brass instrument to usher the bride and her entourage into the hall after she has changed into an elaborate silk saree.

Picture 5,6,7: Kavitha entered the hall with her bridesmaids. she was later seated on the stage with her husband where they perform their ceremonial duties.

Picture 8: Us :)

Picture 9: young Indian girls dressed in Langa, before they are old enough to wear a saree.

Picture 10: king yeung's ex-colleague son.

the wedding ceremony ended with a lavish vegetarian lunch for its guests. hmmm... nothing beats an authentic indian meal. the curries were fantastic.

ok.. before i end this blog. i would like to post some tips for people who is attending an Indian wedding for the first time.

Q: I've been invited to a Hindu wedding. What should I wear?

A: Wear what you would wear to a non-Indian wedding. The only clothing taboo to be aware of is that you must take your shoes off to enter a temple or the wedding canopy, so be prepared to leave them at the door. Do try to make some allowances for comfort -- it's not uncommon for seating to be on the ground, so a tight suit or dress that doesn't let you sit cross-legged might not be the best choice.

Of course, if you're the adventurous type and want to wear traditional Indian clothes, go for it! Very likely there'll be a friend or cousin your size who'd be delighted to loan you some clothes and show you how to wear them. Women guests may even get the chance for an application of henna or mehndi if they're around the day before the wedding. But don't rely on the bride or groom to help you themselves -- they'll be way too busy on the day of the event.

Q: My Hindu friends are getting married. What sort of gift should I give?

A: The traditional gift at an Indian wedding is money. The amount should be an "auspicious" number ending in 1 -- $11, $21, $51, $101, $201, $501, etc. (or similar numbers in rupees, pounds, or what have you). Cash or a check is fine.

However, outside of India most Indian couples understand that giving money can be considered tacky and they don't expect it from their non-Indian friends. They've embraced the western tradition of giving housewares as gifts and many couples register at department stores. So the better answer is: give what you would give at a non-Hindu wedding.