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Wedding Ceremony of Hindus

Welcome The Bridegroom and his family, relatives and friends are welcomed at the house of Bride by her family and relatives. And, greetings are extended to each other.

Arrival of the Bride The bridesmaids and the father escort the bride to the Mandap (nuptial canopy).

Exchange of Garlands The priest guides the couple to the Mandap (nuptial canopy). Bride welcomes Groom with a floral garland and Groom garlands Bride. This exchange symbolizes formal acceptance and respect.

Prayer Chanting of the great Gayatri mantra to invoke the blessings of the supreme Lord.

Offerings Bride offers the mixture of honey and yogurt to the groom. Honey symbolizes the sweetness of eternal love and yogurt for the sake of his eternal good health and nutrition.

Purification Sipping the water three times for the purification of the heart and body.

Kindling of sacred fire The wedding is made solemn before Agni (fire), the symbol of knowledge, power, and purity, as a principle witnesses to the ceremony.

Pledges (Exchange of vows) The priest reads the solemn union declaration. The bride and bridegroom exchange the holy marriage vows.

Groom: I take your hand in mine, for the attainment of prosperity and offspring. May you enjoy long life and happiness with me? By the grace of God and blessings, you have become my life partner and wife. You are my lawful wife and I am your lawful husband.

Bride: I take your hand in mine in pursuit of righteousness for the benefit of both our families. I will stand by you. May we be provided with prosperity and offspring and may I keep you splendidly radiant as the rays of the sun.

Seven rounds around the sacred fire Bride's brother puts rice in the hands of Bride & Groom to offer to Agni (the Lord of Fire) who dispels darkness and ignorance while leading into light and knowledge. The couple then walks around the sacred fire seven times. Why seven times? It is said in Hinduism that a soul takes birth as a Human being for seven times in its whole birth cycle. Moreover, so that bride and Groom remains husband wife for each time they re-birth as humans. Each round represents the four basic goals of human life:

Seven steps The bride and groom take seven steps forward together, symbolizing the beginning of their journey through life. These steps signify the guiding principles of life.

Each of these steps represents the vows made by the couple:

1.   Together we will love, cherish and respect one another from this day forward, for better for       worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health ... forever.

2.  Together we will create a home full of joy and laughter, where we find serenity and        strength.

3.   Together we will share a steadily deepening love, which grows in understanding and       unselfishness.

4.   Together we will embrace each other's family as well as our own yet to come.

5.   Let us have a measure of patience and forgive with grace.

6.   Together we will develop a sense of value that we may care for people more than       possessions, for honor more than honors, and for the dimensions of a home more than the       details of a house.

7.   Let us forever be best friends and partners, share each other's ideas and ideals. The couple is       now united and will pray for the blessings from God. The father-in-law offers the bride a sacred       necklace.

At last, bridegroom puts Sindhoor (Red Powder) in the parting of the bride's hair and welcomes her into his life as his eternal partner. The newly wedded couple touches the feet and takes blessings from the parents of both families.

Blessings Married women from the bride's family come forth to wish her eternal happiness. All guests and relatives recite a hymn with the priest to wish the couple good luck, prosperity and a long, happy married life together.

No Mehendi, No Marriage!

Mehendi is not just a way of artistic expression, sometimes it is a must! A Hindu wedding includes a number of religious rites before and during the nuptials, and Mehendi play a vital role in it, so much so that no Indian marriage is considered complete without it! The reddish brown color of Mehendi - which stands for the prosperity that a bride is expected to bring to her new family - is considered most auspicious for all wedding-related ceremonies.