Image: Sharp Shooters Company

Getting married on Valentine’s Day is just way too common and saying vows on the same date that you two first met is also boring, so what next? If you and your partner are one of those couples who want to wed on a special day with the guarantee that all your near and dear ones will be there without making any excuses, why not consider getting married on New Year’s Eve? And if the idea appeals to you but you’re still having second doubts about it, allow us to convince you why a New Year’s Eve wedding is the perfect once-in-a-year time to celebrate your special day:

Save money on the celebrations

It is New Year’s after all and that means you get to combine your wedding celebration along with a regular party. This also means that your expenses go down considerably and the same people who you want to party with will all be in attendance at your wedding. It’s the perfect win-win situation!

Image courtesy Onkar Photography

You get to make the New Year’s resolutions together!

What better way to begin a new relationship and a new journey than by waking up in the morning as husband and wife? It gives a whole new spark and meaning to your relationship too and if you both tend to make resolutions, there’s a good chance that you will stick by them as well.

Image Octopus Films

You can use sparkly colours in your palette

Always wanted a sparkly wedding? Not surprisingly, most New Year’s Eve weddings feature gorgeous shades like black, gold, shimmery silver and bronze. Go with a wedding theme that mixes and matches all these shades and you’ll love the end result. In effect, you get a classy wedding that has a high party feel to it too.

Guests will have a gala time too

Don’t forget your guests! You can bet that your guests will be more than happy to be a part of a celebration that lets them party the night away and let their hair down. Going with a dress code that lets them be in their party best means that they don’t have to stress about over dressing or under dressing for the occasion. Its a New Year’s Eve wedding after all!

Image courtesy WorldWide Photoworks

You can get creative with the favours and gifts

What about party favours? Imagine this- the gift that you give your guests will be the first one that they will be taking home in the New Year. So, get creative and think of little gourmet food baskets which have select chocolates and mini bottles of wine. Or, gift them a whole bottle of wine to take home and enjoy. Just remember to include a thank you message which thanks them for coming to the wedding and which also includes wishes for the New Year. It’s a great way for them to always remember your New Year’s Eve wedding.

On a lighter note, you won’t have to worry about your spouse ever forgetting your anniversary date even twenty years after your new partnership commences.  So, what do you think about a New Year’s Eve wedding? Share your comments and feedback with us.

The post 5 Reasons To Have A New Year’s Eve Wedding appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

We still haven’t completely gotten over the wonderful celebration that was Trishant-Prerita’s wedding. This time we are sharing pics from their Sundowner event that took place on the eve of 27th December 2018. Enjoy the photos and get inspired!

Venue

Renaissance Mumbai

Hairstyle

Ritika Kadam Hairstylist

MUA

Hriya Marfatia

Bridal Outfit

Sharmita Nandwana

Congrats to the couple! Stay tuned for more pics from the events that followed!

The post weddingsOnline On Location: Trishant & Prerita’s Sundowner Event appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

If you guys have been following our blog, you may have already seen Trishant-Prerita’s Sangeet and Sundowner event pics at the Renaissance Club Mumbai. Today we are presenting their wedding pics-a beautiful culmination of the 3 day celebration.

Couple

Trishant Sidhwani (DreamzKraft weddings) and Prerita Puri.

How they met

They met in the US, while pursing their Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. They were introduced to each other through a common friend.

Their proposal

Trishant knew that Prerita was a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan. So he had the ‘King’ raise a toast for her and played on an AV. He also took Prerita’s father’s blessings for her hand in marriage while they were at a family vacation in  the Maldives. He later planned an exciting New Year eve the same year and invited their closest friends for the same. He popped the question at midnight. All friends maintained silence as the year turned, while Trishant asked Prerita to become his forever. Prerita was blown over by the amount of planning Trishant had put in for this surprise proposal. She had no choice but to say Yes! Says Prerita: “When I saw SRK raise a toast on the AV, I was left speechless and in shock. I had no idea Trishant had planned all this and was overwhelmed by his love!”

Bride’s dress

Sundowner: Sharnita Nandwana

Sangeet: Manish Malhotra

Mehendi: Half  Full Curve

Wedding: Jade

After party: Swapnil Shinde

Bride’s hair and make up

MUA Hriya Marfatia

Hair by Ritika Kadam

Groom’s suit

Sangeet, Mehendi and Phera outfits were by Ananke – Ajay Verma & Deepti Chugh in association with Half Full Curve – Rixi Bhatia who is Trishan’t cousin. She has known Trishant since he was a child and knew his personalityand what he would be comfortable in.  The Sundowner outfit and the After Party Tux was done by Govinda.

The ceremony

The ceremonies took place at the Renaissance Powai. On the 27^th December was the ring ceremony followed by the Sundowner. On 28^th morning was the Mehendi followed by grand Sangeet, which saw almost 1000 guests with presence of Bollywood celebrities. On the 29^th December morning was the Chooda ceremony, followed by the Wedding in the evening and later an extravagant reception with an exotic cirque theme. 

Wedding coordinator/planner :

DreamzKraft

Trishant Sidhwani himself is the director, of Dreamzkraft. This brilliant wedding planning company leaves no stone unturned, from fixing venues to designing the décor to curate a remarkable wedding experience!

Wedding/reception venue

Mumbai Renaissance Powai, as most of their family and friends are from the city.

The menu

The menu on 27^th December Sundowner and ring ceremony included North American, South American Cuisine, along with Eastern/Oriental dishes-all with a twist. For example, Bailey’s infused mushrooms, Jagermeister fish, MacN Cheese lamb burger with shot glasses of beer. Along with this Chilean Taco’s Mexican Burrito bowls and smoked grill poulet to name a few .

For Mehendi there was traditional and authentic North Indian food prepared by chefs brought in from Amritsar. For the Sangeet ceremony – they had Indian fusion with a twist.  The couple wanted to experiment with food in an innovative manner. With great talent and skills they presented Bourbon Jack Daniel Daal Makhani with Lebanese Zaatar Roomali Roti.  For desserts there were Magai Paan Jalebi, Salted Caramel Jalebi and so on.

For the Wedding ceremony guests could indulge in a variety of chaat ranging from Mathurawali Chaat, authentic Gujarati Chaat, along with some some regional Maharashtrian Street Food. This function also had other authentic chaats from all over India and chefs were brought in from various regions for the same.

Reception

To end all celebrations with a bang, the last ceremony was the Reception. This function has a modern cirque theme, with a blend of the Eastern and Orient, as the couple, wanted to end their wedding celebration on a high note.Some of the dishes guests enjoyed were authentic Japanese Sushi, Dimsum Bar, authentic Thai Dishes such as Keeng Phad Phak Ruam, Khiew Warn Phuk. The reception also boasted Asian, Indonesian, Mongolian, Malaysian and Korean cuisines.

The honeymoon

The couple is heading to South Africa for their honeymoon first and later on to Seychelles. Post that, they will travel with friends to Amsterdam and Finland to experience the Northern Lights. 

Congratulations to the beautiful couple! We wish them a very happy life ahead! Want to submit your professionally shot pre-wedding/wedding/engagement/honeymoon pictures/videos to us for publication? Simply email us the details at dipa@weddingsonline.in! Get details here.

The post Real Weddings: Trishant-Prerita’s Wedding Photos Are Here! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Remember Priyanka and Kartik? We had featured their Bohemian House, Bangalore, pre-wedding shoot by photographer Roma Ganesh recently. Well the couple is now hitched and Priyanka has sent in her haldi, mehendi and wedding photos..beautiful colours -we have to say! Read their super cute and romantic story -it will surely make your day!

About The Couple

Priyanka is 25 years old – an architect by profession. She has a passion for art, dance and used to be a hockey player back in school. She is also a fashion enthusiast and an Insta-blogger. Says Priyanka: “I always dreamed of having an elaborate wedding, and had even made a pinterest board called ‘my wedding ’. Of course the dream centered around my prince charming! Let me tell you about him: the groom – Kartik is a business man, 28 years old. He is a fun and chilled out guy who loves his FIFA and movie time! Kartik also loves to travel and is a gadget freak”.

How we met

Our parents were best friends for the past 20 years! I always pictured his parents as “uncle and aunty”, never knew they would be my IN-LAWS. Even though we knew each other’s parents we never knew each other. One day at a cousin’s wedding , my mom happened to introduce us. As awkward as it could be, we knew that they were introducing us with the intention of getting us hitched! We both just glanced and each other and said “hey”. The evening went on for us and we happened to meet again at the dinner counter; picking up plates and sitting next to each other. We started talking about how our dads used to chill together. After this we just spoke for the rest of the evening. The next day I received a text from him – “a model and an architect, how impressive”. The WhatsApp conversations led to a few dates after which we knew we were meant to be.

The proposal

With the weather change, I was sneezing and suffering from a cold-really bored at home. I made some plans with my girl friends and decided to get out for a bit. But mum had other plans- she felt I should get to know Kartik better. So I pulled out my phone and cancelled my plans and texted him “free for a coffee?” Of course he was! 10 minutes later he had his fancy shiny car with the pink led lights inside (switched on for me ).

We decided to get some green tea and headed towards the highway for a long drive. The proposal conversation started with me when, just for fun, I sprung up the topic and said “my mom thinks I should talk to some more prospective grooms-you know from the point of view of marriage” that made him turn his head! He freaked out and said “For what? And I was like “hmm you know ? ha-ha”!

He immediately pulled up the car to the side. We opened up the sky roof , stuck out our heads under the starry sky and there he was, asking me to marry him. Of course he didn’t plan the proposal and that made the whole thing even more beautiful ! Seeing his sweet face and earnest look, I couldn’t help but say YES.

The wedding venue and why we chose it

The wedding was held on 14^th of November- a day before my birthday. We chose the JW Marriott Bangalore as it had a beautiful outdoor lawn with a waterfall for the main ceremony (we are a typical South Indian family). The indoor banquet hall was ideal for our reception. Marriott was the best option as it is in the prime central part of the city hence convenient for our guests. Our cocktail was held on the 10^th in the Le Meridian and the Mehendi and Haldi at home.

Other vendor details

The wedding planner for the Muhurtham was Poonam Mayank Sharma who did a phenomenal job. The makeup artist was different for each event as mentioned below. Photographer was Manan Upadhyaya for all the events along with Roma Ganesh for the cocktail, prewedding and wedding.

Cocktail/Sangeet

• Outfit Zara Umrigar
• Jewellery –Pratibha Jewellers , Bangalore
• Makeup Zorain’s Studio , Bangalore
• Groom’s outfit – Y & O (Yunus and Omar, Bangalore)

Haldi

• Saree by Vijaylakshmi Silks
• Jewellery – Pratibha Jewellers , Bangalore
• MUA – Nivriti Gupta

Mehendi

• Outfit – Shivan and Narresh (Blouse)
• Sabyasachi (Belt)
• Drape Palazzo Sari – Design by Akshita Totlani
• MUA– Nivirit Gupta.
• Jewellery – Mauve Unitx by Neha Arora
• Groom’s outfit – Y & O

MUHURTHAM (The wedding)

• Sari – Prashant Silks ( Kanchipuram )
• MUA – Vinyasa Hippla 
• Jewellery Pratibha Jewellers , Bangalore and Paramani

Invitations

As an architect and designer , I designed the wedding invitation card myself.

Details about each function

The cocktail was combined with a sangeet, and the theme was a Starry Night. With red stars and lots of lights. Family and friends danced and played games all night.

My Outfit

For this event I chose Zara’s emerald beaded gown and Kartik was dressed in a velvet deep blue tux.

The Haldi

This ceremony was at home followed by the pooja at our respective homes.

The Mehendi

The groom and his friends and family joined us at my home for the mehendi. We then had music, dhol and ladies putting mehendi on our guests hands. Friends and family danced and enjoyed this event.

Outfit

My Mehendi outfit had a rather Tribal theme -I chose a tribal jersey forest print blouse from Shivan and Narresh accessorised with a oxblood colour Sabyasachi belt and a custom design jewellery set from my friend Neha’s store called Mauve Unit X. The groom was dressed in a lavender silk kurta teamed with a floral bandi.The event ended with some custom gift boxes(hampers) with bangles, mang tikka and chocolates along with some gifts for the bridesmaids.

 14.11.18 -the D-DAY

The wedding ceremony was held at the JW Marriott hotel, Bangalore on Lavelle road. My mother, our planner Poonam Mayank Sharma, and I went over all the details and carefully planned everything. We wanted to have a contemporary yet traditional wedding. The décor was well thought of and planned. We chose a unique colour palette of pastel pink and teal. I entered the madap on a traditional doli carried by my brothers.

Decor

The mandap was circular with its roof in a crisscross pattern of stripes of pink and teal sheets. The entire mandap had brass lotus, bells, flowers and crystals hanging from the roof- truly the most magical and dreamy mandap I could think of. We had Tiffany chairs with the bow ties of the same theme and colours. We approached wedding planner Poonam Mayank Sharma for the decor as she had also done my brother’s wedding , decor of which was really appreciated . Poonam is an exceptional wedding planner/decorator. She is always enthusiastic and is willing to meet you multiple times to assure you ! We decided on some really new and unique ideas like the colour schemes and use of wooden posts etc which gave the wedding a French and foreign look -her brilliant ideas and attention to tiny details made our wedding truly a special one

Reception

Outfit

This ceremony was followed by a reception in the banquet hall of Marriot itself. This event was more of a French theme with wooden frames, hanging glass bowls and fairy lights. I however wanted to go completely traditional in my outfit and so I dressed up in a traditional Kanchivaram pink and yellow saree. This saree had a peacock border and silver zari. My jewellery consisted of an antique chocker piece with pearls and rubies. The second piece was from ShriparaMani jewellers in Delhi, which was the Padmavat collection consisting of jhumkas and pearls and rubies. Most of the other jewellery sets were from Prathibha Jewellery house on Residency Road Bangalore. My Matha pati was one of the jewellery pieces that was most asked about. It was my grandmother’s and is an antique , irreplaceable one. The golden braid was dated back to 30 years from my mother’s wedding , which I got to use again for mine with ruby jhumka earrings and a golden waist belt to complete the look.

Honeymoon

We went to this amazing resort in Gulmarg, Kashmir. It is a Himalayan resort and spa. As a couple, we are crazy hungry for adventure and decided to go for a skiing course there. Kashmir is a beautiful place in our very own India. The pictures from this trip seemed like I was in Switzerland. We are also planning our actual honeymoon to New Zealand and Fiji sometime in Feb.

Any wedding planning tips or advice for couples getting married

Planning your own wedding is one of the most exciting as well as thrilling and exhausting thing in the world! It happens only once in a lifetime so give it your 100%.Wedding planners, designers are extremely important. My only advice to brides to be is to start planning your wedding well in advance so you can be satisfied with all the vendors you choose. Good luck to all you beautiful brides out there!

The post Priyanka & Kartik : A Fairy-tale Romance And Dreamy Wedding! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Bhavik and Heenal will be tying the knot in 2 days! We are so excited! Check out Heenal’s gorgeous looks for her prewedding shoot- MUA Sabah Malgi has done a fantastic job! You are also going to love Heena’s story of how the wedding came to be.. enjoy!

Couple

Bhavik Shah & Heenal Jain

The post Heenal & Bhavik’s Prewedding Shoot Featuring Makeup by Sabah Malgi appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Image: Abhay Sawant

No one wants to throw an absolute snooze-fest wedding or even bore their guests to tears on their big day. And weddings today are much more than rituals, food, and outfits. Some fun elements can always spice up ritualistic moments to add individuality to your multi-day affair. Whether you organise your ceremony in a banquet hall or out in the garden, entertainment is an aspect that could be arranged anywhere. So it’s time you stepped up your game to go that extra mile. With these wedding entertainment ideas, your big day will be a spectacle to be remembered for a lifetime!

Here are 10 fun wedding ideas you that will leave your guests in awe…..

Live Wedding Orchestra

If you think a live wedding orchestra is what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can afford, here’s the good news! A wedding orchestra does not cost an arm and leg. Musicians from an orchestra create a variety of sophisticated, elegant and romantic music styles to suit every ambiance and mood.

DJ and Emcee Entertainment

A DJ and Emcee make a great combination to take all of the worries off your shoulders. Emcees create a fun atmosphere and engage the crowd to participate in a variety of activities. While the Emcee makes sure the crowd is entertained, the DJ focuses on playing the perfect music to suit every mood and vibe.

Image: SharpShooters

Mascot or Live Cartoon Character

You and your family will be busy with all the arrangements. And it may be difficult for you to receive every guest. Hiring a mascot or live cartoon characters to welcome your guests is a great idea to keep everyone engaged and is an eye-candy treat for all the kids. Parents can enjoy interacting with friends and family, while the kids can spend time admiring their favourite cartoon stars.

Parrot Astrology

To keep your guests engaged throughout the ceremonies, parrot astrology makes a great addition to your list of entertainment ideas. Everyone is interested to know what the future holds them and so do your guests! Keep them entertained with parrot reading and even all your international guests will be thrilled.

Dandiya/Garba Dancers

Dandiya and garba is a quintessential segment of Gujarati weddings. But with its widespread celebration, all your guests will be entertained when peppy Bollywood numbers are remixed and played during the celebration.

Ballroom Dancing

Choose a wedding venue having a Grand Ballroom because Ballroom dancing at weddings is becoming increasingly popular. Your wedding is one of those days that you and your partner will be celebrating with close family and friends to express your love and commitment for one another. A great way to express your devotion and love for each other is through your first dance together. Your guests will await and will want to capture your special dance.

Comedian

Comedians have become a very popular choice for entertainment. So why not at weddings! You can always hire comedians that suit all tastes, ages, and budgets. Brilliant punch lines, a great public presence, and A++ delivery is plenty to ensure laughter.

Image: Octopus Films

Fun Photo booth

Pictures speak a thousand words! Nothing breaks the ice at weddings like a fun photo booth. A few blush-inducing props, a fun backdrop is all you need to get friends and family mingling in front of the camera. Guests would love the opportunity to capture their moments. And after all, it’s not an everyday affair to find yourself dolled up in a pretty lehenga or suit.

Fireworks

Fireworks are a great idea to add a touch of sparkle to your wedding. And they can be as big or small as you wish, from twinkling sparklers to a show-stopping exhibit.

Image: Arrow Multimedia

Make a Grand Entry

A reception holds an important place in a couple’s life. It is your first appearance as husband and wife. And couples swag is a big trend at weddings. Make a grand entry and give a dose of entertainment to your guests by dancing along with your friends and family.

Author Bio

Rishi Kamra works with Grand Mercure Vadodara Surya Palace. He has over a decade of experience in the hospitality and event management industry which allows him to create value-driven content for his readers. Travelling and photography are his two passions and in his free time, he enjoys working with the youth of his city by volunteering his time and mentoring young adults.

The post 10 Wedding Entertainment Ideas to Wow Your Guests appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Every once in a while, we receive a gorgeous wedding which leaves us breathless. Today’s wedding fits the bill perfectly. The couple is so beautiful and their wedding palette is classy and elegant. Check out bride Gurveer Kaur’s intricate lehenga and fabulous jewellery…we are swooning over all these details!

Full name of the couple

Gurveer Kaur and Nitin Sharma

How we met

Wedding Date

Venue

Wedding Photography

Makeup artist

Wedding Dress

Honeymoon

Advice to other brides-to-be

On your wedding day, just smile and don’t care about how you look, what people think. Simply care about you and your Prince. Enjoy the day and forget the rest!

The post Everything About This Sikh Wedding Will Leave You Mesmerized! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Samiksha and Sundeep are from Washington DC. She grew up in Orissa and Mumbai while he was brought up in Bangalore and Mumbai. Most of their courtship took place in DC. As a result, they incorporated cherry blossoms in their mandap to signify their romance! Check out the pictures clicked elegantly by The Knotty Story. Novotel Mumbai provided the perfect backdrop for their glorious day!

Couple

Samiksha Mahapatra and Sundeep Pulaskar

Venue

Novotel Mumbai

Decor

Floral Jewelry

Mehndi favors

Makeup Artists (Mehendi/Wedding and Reception)

Makeup for Sangeet

Fatima Soomar

Hairstylist for Mehendi

Hairstylist for Sangeet

Photographer

The post Samiksha & Sundeep: Grand Oriya-Maharashtrian Fusion Wedding At The Novotel! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

There comes a point in every girl’s life when she dreams of her wedding lehenga-it could be for 2 minutes or twenty or two years! Regardless of whether you are about to get married, or simply love attending traditional festivities; bride Swati’s gorgeous pastel lehengas will truly inspire you!

Bride

Swati Rawat

Photography by

Makeup

Venue

Planner

Lehenga

Jewelry

The post These Lehengas Are Giving Us Major Wedding Inspo! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

We usually do not see black in Indian weddings but every once in a while, a bride boldly defies tradition. Bride Parita Miyani is one such bride. Says Parita, ” I have been following your page for a very long time and got really inspired by the ideas, outfits and many details which you have been sharing. And above all of it we had used some of the decors we had seen on your page and excited to share the memories with you!”

Bride and groom

Parita and Jenish Miyani

Vendors

Outfits

Bride Sabyasachi

Says bride Parita: I have always been fascinated with Sabyasachi’s style and designs. Naturally, I had to choose him for all my wedding outfits.

Wedding planner and why we chose them

VR1 Events, Surat

‘Vaishali Gohil and Mr. Ashok Jasani, the owners of VR1Events, Surat, know exactly what their clients want. They got exactly how we wanted the venue to be decorated and planned everything meticulously!” 

  Makeup and hair

 Venue

    Photos

Digital Photo Studio, Bardoli

Team weddingsonline India wishes the lovely couple a very happy married life ahead. Contact dipa@weddingsonline.in for getting your engagement/prewedding/wedding photos featured here.

The post This Surat Wedding Had an Elegant Black and Red Theme! appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

Engaged recently and looking forward to a spring/summer wedding in 2021? And, If you postponed or had to reschedule your wedding to 2021 because of the pandemic, well, consider yourself lucky. Because, the Pantone Color Institute has announced the new color trends for the spring/summer 2021!

Inspired largely from nature, the colors are 10 floral accent hues together with a range of 5 neutral hues like earthy caramel color, grey and olive green.  The colors are decidedly spring and summer, but yet flexible enough to be fashionable throughout the year.

At Weddingsonline.in, we are going to cover the color palette and how you can include them on your big day, one at a time. The first of these colors is Marigold – the yellow-orange color named after the flower of the same name.

Did you know?

Marigolds flower, known as Genda, bloom in the colors of the sun: brilliant yellow, bold orange, bright white, rich gold and warm red tones. Referred to as the ‘Herb of the Sun,’ Marigold’s distinctive fragrance helps improve mood and alleviate stress. The orange and yellow color of marigolds is considered auspicious for new beginnings and important events of life. Additionally, the scent of marigolds, wards-off mosquitoes, bugs and other insects.

In India, we’ve been using Marigold (in the form of the flower Marigold) forever in our weddings, festivals and other ceremonies. We are doubly excited because we will be trending and traditional in one go!

Makeup Inspiration

If you are inspired by the color Marigold as part of your wedding trousseau or as an accent in your bridal accessories and are worried about how you can complement your make-up and hair, Inaara By Sidra is just who you need. Sidra Mirza Beig’s bespoke makeup and hair styling techniques will focus on every single little detail to create a look that enhances your beauty so you look and feel spectacular on your big day.

Sidra says – “I am constantly learning new techniques, testing new luxury products and firing up my imagination to make sure my work is fashion-forward, timeless, and elegant. My inspiration stems from red-carpet infused beauty combined with the natural relaxed look from the everyday lifestyle of Celebrities.”

Not just on the wedding day, Inaara By Sidra’s Events Styling services take care of Pre-wedding photo shoots, Special occasions, High fashion, or any other event and they can tailor their services to fit.

Décor, Design and More

Stuck on how you can use these trending colors in your décor? Let Weddings By Rishtey in on your plans and let them dazzle you with their brilliant ideas. From conceptualization to completion, they are the go-to guys for all your wedding event curation, design, decor, hospitality – logistics, production, vendors, artists & entertainment. Be it traditional, destination, intimate or themed weddings, they’ll ensure that your special day can be as special as you envisage it.

The new 2021 color palette echoes hope and positivity, accentuating the mood and liveliness that color can bring to our lives. Throughout the coming year, one can hope to see these colors as a significant part of the whole shebang at weddings from outfits to décor and floral arrangements.

The post Marigold-2021’s New & Trending Wedding Color Inspiration appeared first on India's Wedding Blog.

The valleys of Kashmir are literally and poetically considered heaven on earth. They captivate and mesmerise us not just for its picturesque locales but for the warmth of the people who live there. Steeped in fascinating customs and culture, the time-honoured traditions of Kashmir are equally interesting.

The wedding rituals followed by the people of Kashmir while having certain subtle similarities to traditions followed in other parts of India, are so distinctive and interesting. Though most Kashmiris are Muslims; there is a community of Hindus as well, known as Kashmiri Pandits.

Here’s a look at some of heart-warming wedding rituals followed by the people of Kashmir.

Kashmiri Muslim Weddings – a Celebration of Culture and Tradition

Once the Manzimyor, a professional matchmaker, hired by the elders, find a suitable alliance for the prospective bride or the groom through a process called Parche Traavun, it marks the beginning of the traditional Kashmiri Muslim wedding experience.

The official consent for marriage known as Thap Traavin is followed by a very extravagant engagement ceremony known as Nishayn usually hosted by the bride’s family. There’s a very lavish feast followed by exchange of gifts. This is when the couple get a formal consent for their nuptials. What follows then is the Saatnaam, an official get-together to announce the wedding date to close relatives celebrated with traditional music and dance.

On the day of the marriage, the Kashmiri bride dons a traditional Kashmiri dress known as the Pheran, which is typically hand-embroidered with silver or golden threads. The Nikah Khwaani is a very simple and modest ritual during which the Qazi recites Quranic verses and prays for a long, happy married life for the couple. After the Nikaah ceremony, the baraat gather for a traditional feast known as the Kashmiri Wazwan and bless the couple. Once the lavish dinner festivities come to a close, the bride bids farewell (Ruksati) to her family. The next day, a Walima or reception is held by the groom’s family, where family, friends, and the community are invited to bless the newlywed couple.

Glam up Stories by Shachi Singh                                                    

Every culture follows a certain set of skincare routines to help the bride look her absolute best on her wedding day. The one person who can build on this timeless prep of bridal skincare is a makeup artist of repute.

Shachi Singh of Glam up Stories by Shachi Singh, one of the most trusted names in the world of professional make up says, “I ensure to work with the best brands, so that the client’s skin remains flawless. The bride becomes even more comfortable in the skin she is in.” Within a short 6 years, Shachi is a name to reckon with in the arena of bridal makeup. She has several accomplishments under her belt like doing the make-up for editorial shoots as well as fashion shoots like Lakme Fashion Week, Pune Fashion Week, Face of India etc. With her client base from all of the major cities in India to exotic international locales of destination weddings, Shachi has truly established herself in the queendom of beauty.

The Fascinating Rituals of a Kashmiri Pandit Wedding

Kasamdry, a formal engagement ceremony during which a puja is offered by the bride and groom’s family marks the beginning a Kashmiri Pandit wedding. Once both families consent to a suitable date, the priest fixes the wedding date.

A Wanvun or sangeet session is held every evening following up to the wedding day, where both families participate enthusiastically. During the Wanvun, a special tea called noon or Sheer Chai is served.

The unique Devgon (Havan) ceremony sees the Kashmiri bride and groom transition from Brahmacharya Ashram to the Garhasthya Ashram as they offer prayers to Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. The bride wears the traditional dejhor roped in a red thread through the inner ear piercing along with gold that is sanctified in the Devgon Pooja. The Dejhor is a golden locket gifted by the bride’s parents to her at the time of her marriage, which is later worn in a golden chain (athth) gifted by her in-laws.

The Lagan or wedding day has amongst all the traditional customs, a fun custom in which the heads of the bride and groom are covered by a veil. They gaze at each other for the first time through a large mirror inserted under the veil. After these rituals, the bride and groom sit under a red chadar where mantras are directed towards the bride, then the groom and finally, towards the couple as one. The Kashmiri tradition believes that the bride represents Goddess Parvati and the groom, Lord Shiva. So during this ceremony, they worship the couple and this ritual is call Posh Puza or deifying with flowers.

During Vidaai, the bride officially bids goodbye to her family. During this ritual, the couple stand on a wooden pedestal known as Vyoog. The eldest female member of the family kisses them thrice on the forehead.

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