An Indian wedding ceremony involves many rituals and traditions. It typically takes place in a temple or hall that is decorated with flowers, turmeric powder, and other auspicious items. The wedding involves rituals performed by a priest such as the bride and groom exchanging garlands and the groom applying kumkum to the bride's forehead. A key ritual is the tying of the mangalsutra around the bride's neck, after which the newly married couple is blessed with flowers and rice. A feast is later held, where various dishes are served on plantain leaves for all to enjoy.

1. Indian Wedding

2. Wedding celebration is an integral part
.in life for all Indians

3. The Hindu wedding ceremony has a number of rituals and customs, each symbolic
of beautiful and noble sentiments. As one enters the place or venue of ceremony of
a South Indian wedding, one notice things such as full-grown plantain trees tied to
both the gateposts, festoons overhead of mango leaves, and screw-pine petals that
never fade, notes of the Nadaswaram, the South Indian Shehnai, Kolam or Rangoli
designs at the doorsteps and the like.

6. Wedding invitations are distributed to
relatives and friends few months before the
.actual wedding day They are presented on
,a plate filled with betel leaves saffron and
.turmeric powder

7. Wedding invitation

9. Indian weddings are held in temples
.or temple halls Well decorated
Pallanquin is then set up for the
.bride and groom

10. , ,Auspicious things like flowers turmeric powder
, ,saffron betel leaves rose water are used to decorate
.the wedding stage These things symbolically
represent the happy life the couples would live in
.future

11. Wedding is officiated with customary
practices by a temple priest chosen for
.the wedding

12. Oil lamps are lit on the wedding stage to win
.over darkness with brightness This
symbolically represents the bright marriage life
.for the couple

13. Special wedding hair styling and
bangles on both hands brings out the
.outstanding beauty of the bride

15. Jewelleries and specially selected
saree will be offered to the bride
.for the wedding

17. Herna drawn hands are also part of
.the decorating the bride

18. Selected auspicious tree is
.planted

19. At the marriage hall, the bride's father and the bridegroom's
father facing each other, formalize the final betrothal
ceremony, as the Vedic priest chants the appropriate hymns
in which the names of the bride, the bridegroom, as well as
the names of their 3 generations of ancestors, are cited in
presence of all the friends, relatives, and guests

20. The Marriage
"MUHURTHAM" IS THE ACTUAL MARRIAGE WHERE THE
GROOM TIES A MANGALASUTRA(A GOLD PENDANT IS
THREADED ONTO A THICK TURMERIC THREAD)
AROUND THE NECK OF THE BRIDE AMIDST THE
CHANTING OF MANTRAS BY THE HINDU PRIEST
SEATED IN FRONT OF A FIRE IN THE FLOWER
BEDECKED MANDAP AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS SHOWER
THEM WITH RICE MIXED WITH TURMERIC(SIGNIFIES
BLESSING THE COUPLE).NADASWARAM(TRADITIONAL
LIVE MUSIC TO HERALD THE EVENT) IS BELTED OUT TO
SIGNIFY THE TYING OF THE MANGALASUTRA.

21. The auspicious string is tied around the neck of
, .the bride to the beat of a traditional music The
traditionally married couple are then blessed with
-the showering of flowers and yellow rice by well
.wishers

22. .Newly married couple

23. ,After the auspicious string is tied
the groom puts a ring on the foot of
.the bride

25. Foot ring

26. .Couple exchange garlands

27. The groom dots the KUMKUM on
’ .the bride s forehead

28. ’ ’Bride s father offers her daughter s hand to
.the groom To officiate that he gives the
.coconut to the groom

29. The couple continue with the customary
.proceedings

30. .Couple exchange garlands

31. Relatives and friends bless
.the couple

32. Wedding
feast
THE MARRIAGE FEAST IS EAGERLY AWAITED BY ALL BECAUSE OF
THE VARIETY OF EATS WHICH ARE TRADITIONALLY PREPARED FOR
A MARRIAGE.THREE TO FOUR VARIETIES OF SWEETS IS A MUST
ALONG WITH DELICIOUSLY PREPARED RICE ITEMS SUCH AS
PULAV,PULIYOGARE(TAMARIND
RICE),POORIS,CHUTNEYS,VEGETABLE
PALIYAS,PAPPADS,VADAS,KOOTUS,CURD
RICE,PICKLES,ETC,...COURSE BY COURSE IS SERVED ON A LARGE
PLANTAIN LEAF AND EVERYONE EATS WITH THEIR HAND.TOWARDS
THE END OF THE MEAL,A DESIGNER PACKET CONTAINING A LARGE
COCONUT,BETEL LEAVES AND NUTS ARE HANDED OVER TO
ELDERS PRESENT TO BE TAKEN HOME.

33. .Serving the wedding feast

35. Relatives and friends waiting to offer their
.gifts to the couple

36. ,After the wedding ceremony is over
relatives and friends are helping
.themselves to the feast

38. Thank You