Traditional Hindu wedding ceremonies can last for days and involve much ritual in Sanskrit which may be understood only by the priest conducting the service. This ceremony is considerably shorter and is intended to be understandable even to a non-Indian audience, making it suitable for intercultural or mixed Hindu/non-Hindu marriages. It is loosely based on the Gujarati Brahmin traditions of my wife's family, but with a few touches from Unitarian and Christian wedding services familiar to mine. It includes three spots to insert optional readings and musical performances of your choosing.
The priest in this ceremony need not be formally trained as a Hindu priest. He or she should be familiar with Hindu weddings and comfortable acting as a master of ceremonies, guiding the participants through their parts and explaining the meaning of the service to the audience. It's okay if the priest keeps the script in hand during the ceremony.
Roles:
Bride
Groom
Priest (who in this ceremony also serves as the MC)
Bride's parents
Groom's parents
Bride's maternal uncle (maamaa)
Bride's brother (or cousin or male friend)
Best man
Chorus: a few women who know how to sing traditional Indian slokas
Flower girls (optional)
Set:
Hindu weddings are supposed to take place outside, on the earth, under a canopy known as a mandap. If that's not possible, you can build a mandap inside and pretend you're outdoors. Seating under the mandap can be on the ground (carpets or mats would be a good idea) or on chairs.
Front and center under the mandap is the sacred fire. The fire can be small and confined to a brazier or dish for safety.
The groom's party is supposed to arrive at the wedding spot in a procession, so it's good to have a convenient assembly location nearby.
Props:
Coconut
Garlands to be exchanged by bride and groom
Rings to be exchanged by bride and groom
Wedding necklace (mangalsutra)
Gift from groom to bride's brother
Gift from bride's mother to groom
Sacred fire
Sacred rope (varamala), tied in a loop large enough to go easily around bride and groom
Pots of water for washing hands and feet
Kumkum or red paste applied to forehead
Rice
Flowers
Wardrobe:
Traditionally, the bride wears a red or red and white sari. The sari should be draped modestly over her hair. The groom wears a kafni (long shirt extending to the knees) with pijamo (leggings) or dhoti (sort of an overgrown loincloth). The groom might also wear a turban.
Of course, in an adapted ceremony like this one great liberties can be taken with wardrobe. One rule which shouldn't be broken is that anyone who enters the mandap or wedding canopy must have on sandals or slip-on shoes which can be easily removed (no shoes in the mandap!). In addition, it's a good idea to avoid much black.
One feature of the bride's wardrobe which has become popular abroad is the use of henna or mehndi to decorate her hands and feet. It's said that you can tell how well a new bride is being treated by her in-laws from how long it takes for the mehndi to wear off. Mehndi treatments are increasingly available in salons or you can get mehndi mix at any Indian grocery store for a do-it-yourself job.
Have a nice there
_______
عذاب نون:
The priest in this ceremony need not be formally trained as a Hindu priest. He or she should be familiar with Hindu weddings and comfortable acting as a master of ceremonies, guiding the participants through their parts and explaining the meaning of the service to the audience. It's okay if the priest keeps the script in hand during the ceremony.
Roles:
Bride
Groom
Priest (who in this ceremony also serves as the MC)
Bride's parents
Groom's parents
Bride's maternal uncle (maamaa)
Bride's brother (or cousin or male friend)
Best man
Chorus: a few women who know how to sing traditional Indian slokas
Flower girls (optional)
Set:
Hindu weddings are supposed to take place outside, on the earth, under a canopy known as a mandap. If that's not possible, you can build a mandap inside and pretend you're outdoors. Seating under the mandap can be on the ground (carpets or mats would be a good idea) or on chairs.
Front and center under the mandap is the sacred fire. The fire can be small and confined to a brazier or dish for safety.
The groom's party is supposed to arrive at the wedding spot in a procession, so it's good to have a convenient assembly location nearby.
Props:
Coconut
Garlands to be exchanged by bride and groom
Rings to be exchanged by bride and groom
Wedding necklace (mangalsutra)
Gift from groom to bride's brother
Gift from bride's mother to groom
Sacred fire
Sacred rope (varamala), tied in a loop large enough to go easily around bride and groom
Pots of water for washing hands and feet
Kumkum or red paste applied to forehead
Rice
Flowers
Wardrobe:
Traditionally, the bride wears a red or red and white sari. The sari should be draped modestly over her hair. The groom wears a kafni (long shirt extending to the knees) with pijamo (leggings) or dhoti (sort of an overgrown loincloth). The groom might also wear a turban.
Of course, in an adapted ceremony like this one great liberties can be taken with wardrobe. One rule which shouldn't be broken is that anyone who enters the mandap or wedding canopy must have on sandals or slip-on shoes which can be easily removed (no shoes in the mandap!). In addition, it's a good idea to avoid much black.
One feature of the bride's wardrobe which has become popular abroad is the use of henna or mehndi to decorate her hands and feet. It's said that you can tell how well a new bride is being treated by her in-laws from how long it takes for the mehndi to wear off. Mehndi treatments are increasingly available in salons or you can get mehndi mix at any Indian grocery store for a do-it-yourself job.
Have a nice there
_______
عذاب نون:
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