Wedding Styles in India

Christian Wedding

Although the Christian wedding is quite different from other Indian wedding rituals, it is still considered to be a sacred affair predestined by the God Almighty. A Christian wedding would be ideally held inside a church comprising of certain vows recited by the bride and groom. Lots of attention is given towards the dresses of both the girl and the boy, besides the conduct of song and dance and a delicious course of meals for the guests. As per the message given by Lord Jesus, the wedding should be such that it binds a man and woman in a sacred relationship, so much so that it is into one soul that they are transformed. Even though some beliefs are different, within the Christian communities of different countries, overall, the Christian wedding is conducted with similar pre and post wedding rituals, in a church or in the lawn, keeping god as a source of blessing. In Christianity, there is the role of the Father, which is quite important.

In Christian wedding, there are lavish arrangements, which are supposed to be done for the wedding ceremony and these mark the pre-wedding rituals.

In Christian wedding, the pre-wedding ceremony is marked by the celebration of the engagement of the bride and groom. Most of these occasions are fun filled and aim at enjoying the occasion.

Bridal Shower

The bridal shower is supposed to be an important scenario in the pre-wedding rituals. Supposed to be a hen party, this occasion is hosted by the female friends of the bride. The bride-to-be is gifted with various items and her relatives and friends seek blessings for a married life. Pink cake is the centre of attraction in these occasions, which is cut and presented to the guests by the bride. Adding a fun side to this feature is the presence of a thimble in one of the pieces, which would mean that the girl receiving this piece will be the next to get married.

Bachelor Party

While the females enjoy their Bridal shower, the men are engaged in bachelor party. It is a stag party hosted by the to-be-groom for his friends. It is possible to organise the bachelor party, one day before the marriage or a few days prior to that. It is an occasion for free flow of alcohol and plenty of enjoyment and fun among the boys.

Preparatory Course

During this occasion, the bride and groom get together in a church and swear by the bible about the secrets shared between them. Also, they solemnly admit that they have been baptized.

On the day of Christian wedding, a number of functions are in line to be celebrated. It is also a day where people, who attend the wedding get dressed in their best suits and gowns and enjoy the day with the bride and groom. It is usually held in a church.

Welcoming the Bride

This is one of the different kinds of Indian wedding, where the bride is welcomed into the church, whereas in all other kinds of weddings, it is the groom who is welcomed. The groom is supposed to send a vehicle for the girl and waits for her arrival. When she arrives, the Best Man who is the closest person to the groom, welcomes her with peck on both the cheeks and presents a bouquet of flowers. After this, the bride and groom walk down the aisle to the front of the church. Near to the altar, where the priest is standing, both bride and groom arrive and stand next each other. Meanwhile, the priest is reading holy verses from the Bible and people shower their blessings. Then it is time to read the Homily. After this, the bride and groom are asked for their respective vows and consents for the marriage.

The wedding ceremony of Christian wedding then proceeds towards the exchange of rings, which has already been blessed by the priest, so that the bearers of these rings are blessed with peace and everlasting love. The end of the ceremony is done by the priest reading prayers for the couples and the newlywed giving their thanks to the priest and God. At the end, the couple signs their name in the church register, which is the legal part of the marriage, as this paper is then given to the Registrar of Marriages.

With the occasion of Christian wedding ending inside the church, it is time for fun and dance and a sumptuous meal, which makes an important part of the whole post wedding ritual.

Reception

Lavish arrangements are made for the reception party. It is a gala party, with music and dance, where the newlywed bride and groom dance with each other as well as their friends and relatives. Couple is welcomed with a shower of confetti. A cake is cut by the couple, and the toast is raised for the couple. In the modern day Christian wedding, band parties are invited to play music and this adds to the fun ambience to the wedding occasion. After the dance and dinner is over, the bride leaves and is followed by the groom with a bouquet in his hands and they go away.

Photo Gallery