It is not necessary at all to get married to a Hindu in order to arrange an Indian wedding. This way fits to everyone who likes Bollywood movies, is fascinated by Indian culture, and interested in or even practices Yoga etc. If a nuptial in an eastern style has always been your dream, pay attention to India – wonderful and fabulous country.

Planning a thematic bridal or party, doesn’t regard to keep up all traditions without exception blindly following the rules that have been establishing in India during centuries. Firstly, one should understand that stylization is the usage only of certain elements of a style or even imitation. Secondly, one may take into account that in India, depending on a state, nuptial celebrations are different. Making an image of a bridal in an eastern style, one can use something the most interesting and suitable for a certain couple.

The most important thing is an idea!

Any thematic party begins with an insight. A nuptial-like-Indians-do of India is not an exception. It can be a celebration with typical for us script: registry office, civil ceremony, promenade and banquet. Only costumes of newly wedded and guests, venue setting, music accompaniment and thematic entertainment show will resemble India.

However, there are other ways. For instance, you can prepare a script alike those any Indian films have (let us suppose, “Slumdog Millionaire”). Alternatively one may turn his event into taping of a Bollywood film. As well as you can create an amazing Indian fairy-tale and dramatize a thematic event. In short, you may start with working out the concept of your bridal.

Unique Venue

A restaurant or a café in an eastern style will be suitable the banquet. India is the country of scorching sun and luxuriant plants, therefore if there is an opportunity, it is better to hold an Indian nuptial in the open air. For this reason there is a tent construction renting. You can set two pavilions: a big one – for the banquet with guests, and a small one – for symbolic Indian ceremony of family making.

Pavilion-temple

Small pavilion for symbolic ceremony will be desirable in any case: whether the nuptial is in the restaurant, in an open air or in the tent. Pavilion is a sort of mini temple. You can settle it directly inside the main banquet room. The space inside this small construction is richly decorated with flowers – mostly with yellow ones. Pedestals for newly wedded and their relatives are put on the floor as well as for the person who lets them enter into a marriage. Instead of pedestals and mats an alternative with very cozy soft furniture inside a temple is possible in the modern variant. Fortunately, rent of tables and chairs, and also various sofas and puffs is offered at every turn. A quite long red runner rug is to lead there.

Banquet hall

The place would look rather nice decorated preferably with yellow flowers as this color symbolizes the Sun and fidelity. There are quite a few red flowers at an Indian wedding. Flower decorations can make bouquets in vases and baskets, numerous flower garlands and wreaths.

Various tissues are also used– it is better if there is embroidered Indian silk. Basic tints, used for a nuptial decoration in an Indian style, are red, scarlet, pink, orange and purple. Golden accents are necessary: this is a golden textile, golden fringe and gilded sculptures.

Table serving and adornment

Same colors as mentioned above are used here. Chairs may be covered by slips. It is preferably to put a soft pad in an eastern style on every seat. The more beautiful tissues – the closer you are to India. One can rent practically any soft goods, but first you should make sure that the company that offers all the types of a festive textile can assort exactly those colors and textures which will emphasize your ethnic wedding. By the way, experts of a company, that offer soft goods rent, can make necessary dorsal on their own.

Additional setting

The venue ornament at such thematic nuptial as Indian can include carpets on the floor, palm trees in vats, figures of elephants, peacocks’ feathers. Certainly, balloons will be unnecessary, but the figures made of balloons such as again elephants, tigers, peacocks, rickshaw and other symbols of India can be suitable.

Cortege for an Indian bridal

Traditionally Indian groom approaches to a bride’s house on a white horse. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will go by horse in the city, but one can pay tribute to traditions and support the idea. Pick only white automobiles and decorat them with garlands made of yellow and red flowers. If you have an opportunity to find and rent tuk-tuk, it will be great.

Bride and groom outfits

Indian fiancées used to get married just in red sari – luxurious, embroidered with gold, beads and pastes. Fiancés put on national costumes as well, and bound turbans on their heads. Nowadays this rule is not always kept even in India. Grooms often arrive in a European suit with a tuxedo, and brides choose an array of absolutely any color, except pure white that is considered to be a sign of mourning in the country. Certainly, you can prefer white attire, but it has to be largely embroidered.

Our bride, preparing for a an Indian style nuptial, may put on a traditional sari or select any other variant. As previously mentioned, in different states of India weddings are celebrated in different ways. Attires differ significantly as well. For instance, women wear tube tops and dresses with a bouffant pleated skirts in West India. If it is a bridal clothing, a big embroidered shawl may be put on a head.

European wedding gown for an Indian party can be the following: fitted dress with slinky top with a pleated skirt up to heels or a mermaid-dress with short sleeves. Add long inwrought blanket in a color of a dress instead of traditional bridal veil – the Indian bridal look is done!

On the second wedding day one can choose North Indian nuptial dress: baggy trousers and an embroidered tunic.

An Indian bride has a lot of jewels on. Regardless of the clothing, in which she gets married, her hands obligatory have to be decorated with a great number of bracelets that symbolize that the woman is married. Earrings and numerous rings are needed as well. It is well known that eastern women like beaming with luxury.

A bride can order a painting of hands and legs with alcanna (mehendi).

Music

Select traditional music as well as songs from popular Indian movies. Compositions of modern Indian performers will be suitable for dancing. One may select songs of our performers those are somehow connected to India.

These are all necessary things for creating needed entourage. Another sides of preparation to an Indian wedding and possible ways to enjoy this event will be discussed in the next article “Wedding in the Style of India: Scenario“.