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Maharashtrian Wedding Rituals

Among the many kinds of Indian weddings, Maharashtrian weddings often tend to be less lavish but just as beautiful. However, like many Hindu weddings, a Maharashtrian wedding also comprises of a mix of pre wedding, wedding day and post wedding rituals. The weddings are normally held during the day and people often find the appropriate mahurat for the wedding ceremony. Although the rituals and customs may vary, these are some of the more commonly followed Maharashtrian wedding rituals:

Maharashtrian Sakharpuda

Sakhar Puda- It all starts with the Sakhar Puda (sakha meaning sugar, puda meaning packet) or the engagement, where the families exchange a decorated packet of sugar or sweets like pedhas, once the marriage is fixed. The maharashtrian bride is also given sarees and green glass bangles by her in-laws. Sometimes the couple exchange rings too. Traditionally the families wait to print and send the wedding invites only after the sakhar puda.

Kelvan – Normally a couple of days before the wedding day, there is a big meal organized for the bride and groom in their houses respectively, attended by all the close relatives.

Maharashtrian Haldi Ceremony

Halad Chadawat – The Maharashtrian haldi ceremony is traditionally held the day before the wedding or on the wedding day preceding the ceremonial bathing. The halad or turmeric is ground and made into a paste, which is then applied with mango leaves on the bride’s skin. The groom’s family has a similar function at their home. Sometimes the groom’s leftover turmeric paste from is taken to the bride’s house.

Ganpati Puja – On the day of the ceremony, prayers to Lord Ganesha are conducted to bless the occasion and to ensure that the wedding goes off without a hitch.

Seemant Puja – The groom and the baraat are welcomed at the wedding venue with a seemant (meaning boundary) puja. Traditionally it used to take place when the groom and his entourage entered the bride’s village. The groom’s feet are washed and he receives gifts from his in-laws. The bride’s mother also does his aarti.

Gaurihar/Gowrihar Puja – Dressed up in a yellow saree (normally given by a maternal uncle) with her bridal jewellery and makeup the bride sits before an idol of Parvati. She is supposed to pray to the Goddess Anapurna.

Wedding Ceremony / Lagna – The bride is escorted to the lagna mandap by her maternal uncle. Both the bride and the groom wear the mundavalya on their heads (strings of pearls, flowers etc.) and are separated by an antarpat i.e. screen made of cloth. After chanting prayers and shlokas the antarpat is removed and the couple is showered with akshata or unbroken rice grains and garlands are exchanged. After the kanyadan and the tying of the mangalsutra, the couple takes the seven steps near the holy fire. The ceremony is usually followed by a lunch or wedding reception.

Varat – The varat is the emotion charged ending where the bride bids her family goodbye and leaves for her groom’s house amidst fanfare.

Grihapravesh – The bride enters her new home and is welcomed by her mother-in-law with an aarti. She then gently knocks over a vessel filled with rice at the doorstep, symbolizing the luck and prosperity she is bringing into the house.

(Photo Courtesy: Rob & Lauren Photography)

Oh yes, the often dreaded and quite necessary endless rounds of shaadi photos and even more so in big Indian weddings. Posing for wedding pictures can be a big hassle for most brides who are quite clueless about what to do or it’s even a little bit scary for the camera shy. It may seem silly to worry about your wedding pictures but consider this, you are going to be taking quite possibly hundreds and even thousands of wedding photos including portraits, couple shots, pictures with your guests etc. and you are definitely going to have them around forever, so why not look as great as you can. Here are a few helpful pointers:

1. The first and probably most important rule: Relax! A stiff posture and forced expression do not make a pretty picture. The wedding day can be stressful and tiring but try and focus on the good stuff and relax your facial and body muscles. If you feel like your smile is about to crack your face, stop, take a deep breath, turn away if you have to and turn back to the photographer and flash a genuine grin.
2. Practice a few poses beforehand. In the days leading to your wedding especially when you try your bridal clothes, try out a few poses before your mirror. It’s a good idea to take shots on a digital camera with a self timer and check which angles work for you, especially in your wedding finery. Most of us have a ‘good’ side, so work those angles. Another benefit of doing a practice run is that by the time it’s actually time to take the wedding photos you won’t have to over-think, leading to more natural shots.
3. Always, and this isn’t stressed enough, check how your makeup for D-day will look on camera. There have been way too many gorgeous brides let down by their wedding pictures, where suddenly all you notice is badly blended or garish makeup.
4. Enjoy yourself! Even if you are planning on a formal set of pictures, have fun with a few rounds. Do silly, fun things that bring out your personality and genuine emotion. Ask your wedding photographer to shoot candid snaps where you and your groom are mingling, laughing, dancing and basically being yourselves; they are often the most beautiful of the bunch.
5. If you are planning on a pre-wedding photo shoot pick a location that you are comfortable at; a place that is romantic and inspires you. This is a great way to capture those totally ‘in the moment’ pictures.

Marry Me – Wedding Planners in Mumbai would love to hear about what helped you become the pictorial belle of your big fat Indian wedding.

Couture Wedding Invites…yes these are HUGE! What are they? Fashionably designed unique wedding invitations with exquisite detailing and elegant designs are extremely popular among Indian couples. Wedding invitations were never given as much importance as the other elements of a wedding. But with changing trends the traditional card paper invite has evolved.

Today the colour palette is exhaustive and colours like blush pink to teal are getting popular. Also cards can be customized to almost any size and shape; even three dimensional. Wedding invites don’t just carry the wedding details but sometimes also contain bite sized desserts, chocolates, a silver or gold coin or even a solitaire (yes, its true!!) for the guests. The packaging of these wedding cards is splendid and the boxes can most often be used to store jewellery or personal stuff after the wedding. These wedding cards are worded so creatively and professionally that you may even feel the magical bond of love between the couple.

We at Marry Me Wedding planners understand that every couple’s requirements are different. We help you in conceptualizing your couture wedding invite and telling your story in the most unique manner which you will cherish forever.

While you are planning your wedding and reception menus, there’s one tasting that is always a popular one – wedding desserts! It’s no secret that Indian weddings are the occasion to go all out where the food and catering is concerned, and you have to have the perfect sweet ending. When people think of wedding desserts it’s normally either staple Indian sweets and sweet dishes or something like cake or mousse. With wedding cuisine getting more and more creative each day, why should the treats be left behind?! Let’s a take a look at a few ways you can spice up your dessert menu:

Dessert drinks: There’s no reason why your wedding desserts can’t be in liquid form and dessert shots are the new rage. Non- alcoholic and alcoholic dessert drinks are a great option after a heavy Indian meal and serving them in shot glasses are perfect when you are stuffed and just want a taste of sweetness. One of the funnest ways to incorporate this in your Indian wedding is to have shots of rich and colourful lassis, faloodas or milkshakes. Bottoms up!

A Sundae bar: Having an ice-cream sundae bar is fun and different and gives your guests the opportunity to create a dessert that they will love. Have a couple of basic ice-cream flavours at least and a wide variety of toppings like chocolate, candies, nuts, sauces and even pieces of Indian seasonal fresh fruits like mangos, sitaphal, chikoo etc. For a tasty Indian touch have pieces of delicious mithais like gulab jamuns, jalebis and halwa to mix into your ice-cream concoction too. Yum…

Fusion desserts: Fusion fare is all the rage and a nice way to incorporate different global tastes into one small, sweet morsel. If you prefer western desserts at your wedding, you could consider having them made with a dash of Indian spices and flavors to shake things up, like chai flavoured ice-cream, cake with essences of saffron and cardamom or rose, chocolate mousse with a pinch of spice and coconut etc. Talk to your caterer about what they can whip up for you.

Small bites: Mini desserts, like the shots, are a perfect guilty pleasure without the stress of an expanding waistline…and a nice ending to a spicy Indian meal. It also allows you to sample a couple of sweets without getting too stuffed. Small ice-cream or kulfi cones, mini cupcakes and even specialty chocolates decorated in your wedding colours or designs are nice options.

Let us know how you are planning to spice up your wedding menu with our wedding dessert inspiration!

The 11^th edition of The Marwar Mega Wedding Show scheduled at Mumbai’s World Trade Centre from July 15 to 17 is set to revolutionize the Indian wedding exhibition scene. In the first years, the exhibitors were mostly home entrepreneurs— talented housewives who dabbled in designing clothes, jewellery, home decor and accessories. Gradually, a host of exhibitors flocked to participate and on show was not just talent, but expensive and ornate designs. So you saw bling and more bling, heavy embroidery and lots of it. And the community-wedding affair, turned into a big, fat bazaar.Conceived as a community initiative, a logical extension of the magazine by the same name Marwar, the exhibition is now organized by the magazine’s publisher Spenta Multimedia.

On offer at the Marwar Mega Wedding Show is an extravaganza of delightfully rich and sophisticated fashion wear from the best in the industry. We hear you will find handcrafted and exclusive couture from the by-lanes of Kolkata to the gallis of Delhi and Lucknow. Oh, and check out the fabulous designs offered in gold and silver studded with precious stones at the jewellery designer’s posts that hail from Jaipur. Find a panorama of designer, handmade products, shop for your dream-wedding trousseau and get the best bargains in jewellery. And that’s not all; you could get lucky and win a free speed boat charter in Mumbai, sponsored by Blue Bay Marine.

The upcoming Marwar Mega Wedding Show is proud to showcase brands that include Libas by Riyaaz Ganji, Salim Asgarally, Nyassa, Indian Costumes, Bandhej, Scintillating Jewellery, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Yoube Jewellery, Jewel Ace International, Fantasi Chocolates and others. We at Marry Me, are happy to be part of this show, yet again! We hope to see you there!   

The Marwar Mega Wedding Show is at the World Trade Centre, at Cuffe Parade, Mumbai on July 15, 16 & 17, from 11am to 7pm.

(Image Courtesy : Angshuman Ghosh)

Nose rings or nose pins have become a style statement in countries around the world, but their roots go deep. The practice of wearing a nose ring or nose stud it is said became more widespread in India thanks to influence by the Mughals, and is a common ornament seen on both Hindu and Muslim women in the country even today. It is said that there are also references to nose piercings dating back thousands of years in the Vedic scriptures.

Nose rings are often worn as an adornment during weddings and are even considered as one of the signs of a woman’s marital status in some communities. Women in certain communities pierce their noses for the wedding or when they reach a ‘marriageable age’, and keep this piece on throughout their marital lives. Of course, nowadays it’s often a choice and many brides opt for clip on nose jewellery, just for their special day or simply as an expression of their personal style. They are worn either high or low on either right or left nostrils and sometimes also on both sides, depending on which part of the country you go to. Known by many names likes the ‘nath’ and ‘mukuthi’ among others, nose pins and studs are found sparkling and twinkling away on brides all over the country.

You will find different variations like big rings made of pearls and coloured beads (seen on Maharashtrian brides), diamond nose pins in varied shapes, flat silver disks, gold rings adorned with a bird or fish motif and the one brides in North India often favour, a big gold ring that has a chain running from the nose and tucked into the hair near the ear etc.

Interesting fact – In Ayurvedic medicine, the left notril is said to be associated with the reproductive organs in women; a certain spot on the left nostril was often pierced to help married women to ease the childbirth process!

Keep following our wedding blog for more details on the various beautiful Indian bridal jewelry, at Marry Me – The Wedding Planners in India.

We love all things wedding related. So of course, we made a quick dash for yet another wedding exhibition in South Mumbai. Gorgeous bridal wear, wedding invites, elegant accessories, gifts and more made this a one-stop-shop for all brides-to-be.

Meera Mahadevia’s luxury bags are ideal if you are looking to shop for your bridal trousseau. This 25-year old brand ranks high on aesthetic appeal and is often carried by celebs like Rekha, Kareena Kapoor and even Elizabeth Hurley. Handcrafted using silver, brass, copper, marble inlays, woodcarvings and precious stones, these gorgeous handbags are elegant enough to be paired with a gown or a lehenga.

Shawlart had some interesting pashmina and silk shawls on display. These digitally printed shawls make for lovely gifts for friends and family.  We also think that they are ideal to keep your guests warm at night at your outdoor wedding.  A thoughtful addition to your wedding plan!

Designer Shaina NC as always had some beautiful saris on display at this wedding show. Her collections comprise of ready-to-wear bridal saris, allowing you to be comfortable, and yet look gorgeous on your special day. Pastels, metallics and bright hues dominated her collection, all of which are embellished with embroidered borders and stitched using surreal fabrics.

Yet another designer that caught our eye was Abha Choudhary, known for her elegant and shimmering bridal wear. Her bridal saris are adorned with Swarovski crystals and stones. Upping the exclusive factor of her ensembles is the rich and intricate embroidery, unique to each garment. Her collection comprised bridal saris and other Indian wear such as lehengas and kurtis.

‘Maya- Not That’ is a kitchy brand that comprises Indo-western wear made from organic fabrics, perfect for Indian summers. What we really loved though was the colourful Rajasthani parasols, which are perfect to add a fun and quirky touch to your wedding ambience.

If you are looking for basket-fillers to be placed in your guests’ hotel rooms, then Nyassa’s range of deliciously scented beauty products is ideal. Soap bars in different flavours, cupboard fragrant sachets, bath salts, scrubs and more made up Nyassa’s bright stall at this wedding exhibition. The well-packaged gift bundles comprised mini versions of these products. We think these could also be perfect as gifts for the ladies at your Mehendi function.

Decorative wedding boards and other colourful paraphernalia used at wedding ceremonies also caught our eye at a stall under the name of ‘Kshitij’. Interestingly, all the products are hand-made by developmentally handicapped adults. We must mention though, that there were a ton of other NGOs as well, all of whom displayed beautiful bags, gift envelopes, and other wedding-related products. So great to gift, and donate to a good cause at the same time!

And, if you are looking out for a unique way to invite guests to your wedding, we suggest you have a look at this. Ferrero Rocher, the popular brand of chocolates launched their special wedding collection teaming up with a fabulous invite designer company to allow you to do away with the clichéd tradition of sending Indian sweets with your wedding invite. Who doesn’t love Ferrero Rocher, right?

Lastly, we got an exclusive taste of Ferrero’s Liberty sugar-free mints. These tiny mints come in flavours as diverse as cinnamon and red cherry. What is even more interesting is the metallic hued boxes of different sizes that these sweets come packaged in. Soon to be launched in India, these sweet boxes work well with wedding invites or even as a gift in your guests’ hotel rooms. Or, you could even serve these tiny treats as an after dinner mint at your wedding reception.

A good exhibition we thought, however, some more wedding focussed vendors would have been perfect! We hear there are many more wedding exhibitions coming up, let’s hope they have more interesting finds in store! Stay tuned for more from Marry Me – Mumbai wedding planners.

About the Author :

Beverly Pereira is a freelance writer with a penchant for music, travel, photography and design.

(Image Courtesy:australiaentertains.com.au)

Bridal bouquet jewelry is the next huge right now. Transform the look of your bridal bouquet by adding some beautiful embellishments, which will make your bouquet more glamorous. You could choose anything from pearls to diamonte buckles or even brooches and fancy pins. The unique combination of flowers and jewels will highlight your bouquet and will be a visual treat. You can opt for clear or coloured stones depending on what complements your outfit and theme the best. For a more personalized feel you could even opt for a Swarovski studded monogram.

Marry Me- Wedding Planners can assist you with sourcing the most exotic flowers and add-ons to make your bridal bouquet unique.