Weddings are a celebration of love and commitment, and can also be a celebration of the couple’s religion and culture. Whether you’re invited as a guest, attending as a member of the wedding party, or are simply curious, there are a few wedding rituals and traditions you should expect to see.
Hindu Wedding
The Wedding Date is Determined in the Stars
Before the wedding, an auspicious time (known as the muhurta) is fixed for the event. Using the bride and groom’s dates of birth, astrologists calculate the position of planets and stars to reflect the celestial union of the couple. During the ceremony, the gautra of both bride and groom (going back at least three generations) are announced. A gautra is the ancestral lineage or the ancestor’s original clan (this is not related to caste or religion). In Hindu law, marriages should not take place within the same clan.
There’s a Pre-Party Called the Sangeet a Few Days before the Wedding
Prior to the actual the wedding, there’s a pre-party called the sangeet where family comes together to sing, dance and revel in the joy of the upcoming union. Family members even give performances! The bride’s family sings a traditional folk song to the groom’s family to welcome them.
The Bride’s Hands and Feet Are Adorned with Henna Paint During a Mehendi Ceremony
During the mehendi ceremony, which also takes place in Muslim weddings, henna is used to apply intricate designs to the bride’s hands and feet. The mehndi ceremony usually takes place one day before the marriage will be held, as the application can take hours.
The Couple Weds Under a Mandap
The wedding mandap is a temporary structure constructed for the purpose of the marriage ceremony. It may appear on an elevated platform, and is decorated with anything from flowers and greenery to fabric and crystals.
The Bride and Groom’s Garments are Tied Together as They Circle a Fire
The saptapadi is an important ritual in North Indian Hindu weddings. During the saptapadi, the bride and groom have their garments tied together. In South India, the couple walks seven steps together to signify their friendship. In North Indian tradition, they make seven circles around a ceremonial fire, each round signifying a specific blessing they request of the gods. The main significance of saptapadi is establishing friendship, which is the basis of a Hindu marriage.
Red Powder is applied to the Bride’s Hair, Signifying She is Married
Sindoor, a red-orange powder, is applied to the part of a woman’s hair, symbolizes her new status as a married woman and is applied to her hair during the ceremony.
Cords Are Tied to the Wrists of the Bride and Groom During Raksha Bandhan
Cords are tied to the wrists of both the bride and the groom. Marriage is considered to be an arduous stage in life, and the cords are meant as protection.
Muslim Wedding
The central event in all American-Muslim Weddings will be the Nikah. This is the actual wedding ceremony, usually officiated by a Muslim cleric, an Imam. Although a Nikah can be done anywhere including the bride’s home or reception hall, it is preferable and usually done these days in a mosque.
A Muslim wedding is all about love and commitment and happily ever after. There are, however, some traditions and rituals that set this religion’s wedding ceremony apart.
The Wedding Lasts Three Days
The three-day affair is perhaps the most unique aspect of a Muslim wedding. If you thought planning a one-day wedding was difficult, just imagine three days’ worth of festivities!
The Bride’s Father Agrees to the Marriage Contract on Her Behalf During the Nikah Ceremony
The nikah is the part of the ceremony in which the marriage license is signed. The nikah ceremony is essentially the groom’s formal proposal (with at least two witnesses in attendance), as well as the couple’s acceptance of the marriage contract. In a more traditional Muslim marriage ceremony, the bride’s father or another representative will agree to the marriage contract on her behalf. Following this, both the groom and bride will repeat “Qabul,” which means “I accept,” three times. When the nikah is finished, they will share a piece of sweet fruit.
There Are Readings from the Quran, but Not Necessarily Vows
The nikah is often followed by a sermon, which may include readings from the Quran. Muslim wedding ceremonies do not always include vows. Agreement to the marriage contract during the nikah suffices as agreement by the bride and groom to enter into marriage. Following the nikah and sermon, a feast is held by the bride’s family.
Christian Wedding
Seating of Family on Opposite Sides of the Church
Family and friends of the bride and groom are seated on opposite sides of the church to symbolize the cutting of the blood covenant. These witnesses—family, friends, and invited guests—are all participants in the wedding covenant. Many have made sacrifices to help prepare the couple for marriage and support them in their holy union.
Father Escorts and Gives Away Bride
By escorting her down the aisle, a father says, “I have done my very best to present you, my daughter, as a pure bride. I approve of this man as your choice for a husband, and now I bring you to him.” When the minister asks, “Who gives this woman?,” the father responds, “Her mother and I.” This giving away of the bride demonstrates the parents’ blessing on the union and the transfer of care and responsibility to the husband.
White Wedding Dress
The white wedding dress has a twofold significance. It is a symbol of the wife’s purity in heart and life, as well as her reverence to God. It’s also a picture of the righteousness of Christ described in Revelation 19:7–8. Christ clothes his bride, the church, in his own righteousness as a garment of “fine linen, bright and clean.”
Cutting and Feeding of Cake
The cutting of the cake is another picture of the cutting of the covenant. When the bride and groom take pieces of cake and feed it to each other, once again, they are showing they have given their all to the other and will care for each other as one flesh. At a Christian wedding, the cutting and feeding of cake can be done joyfully but should be done lovingly and reverently, in a way that honors the covenant relationship. (www.brides.com) (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
