Preparation for “The Wedding Ceremony “

Hindu weddings are vibrant, detail, culture-rich festivities full of celebration and traditions. Wedding ceremony is physical, spiritual and emotional union of two people and their families coming together through rituals, festivities and celebrations. In an interfaith wedding, it could be with minimal religious rituals.

A Hindu wedding lies between the couple’s expectations and blending family traditions. These festivities bind the couple and both families for “eternity.” In both, Hindu as well as the interfaith wedding, it is best to understand the rituals, the significance and how comfortable both parties are with the rituals. It is all about communication, communication and communication. This sets the tone for the couple’s future life together for “eternity.” It is best to blend both religious customs and traditions into “one” wedding ceremony.

As discussed in the “Evolution of a Relationship” the values and belief when brought together makes a powerful statement about solidarity, bond and commitment. In any wedding, the preparation process sets the tone for everything that comes after, so it’s the perfect time to have conversations and be flexible with each member’s expectations. This process definitely is not smooth sailing, but one should remember discussions during these times are “tug a war” and should be forgotten and unite as a couple and families during the wedding and after! This takes a lot of maturity and understanding, any physical or emotional expressions should not be read into, but ask questions to understand what each member and families feel. Again, communication is the key to all relationships. Coming together especially for the families of both parties is very important for the wellbeing of the couple.

Avoid at all cost “mother-in-law” syndrome – ahh yes – this does exist in real life. Yes, this does start during the preparations of the wedding. During the preparations questions to be discussed as individual couples, after consensus, having discussions with both families together, so that the couple does not become a “pawn” in the chess game during the preparation. Tendencies will definitely be there to take care of individual families, but need to work this out as a couple, so that in the future there is no perception that one family dominated the other. The after effects lasts for years to come….

Questions…

In an inter faith wedding, are there multiple ceremonies – which comes first?
Are there pre wedding ceremony festivities? This could be 2 to 3 days long.
Will there be an engagement ceremony? Who will conduct this?
How many people should attend these festivities?
How big is the wedding ceremony? Number of guests.
What is the venue look like; temple, wedding hall etc.
Who pays for what; is this 50/50?
Type of food to order and where is it from? This is very important for a traditional family.
What is the duration of the wedding ceremony?
What rituals or customs to include for the wedding ceremony?
What will the bride and groom wear during the ceremony?
What does the music and décor look like for the reception?

If opting for a Hindu wedding ceremony, here are some of the rituals that are important during the ceremony. Each ceremony varies according to family traditions, but there are approximately 15 most important steps. Please visit the blog “The Wedding Ceremony” and “The Seven Vows”.