Indian wedding traditions

At the 5 star hotels in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we keep travelling around Asia to find out more about its culture and traditions. Today we are taking you to India to talk to you about its wedding traditions.

A traditional Indian wedding means much more than the marriage between a man and a woman. It is also the union of both families. Indian people celebrate many rites, traditions and ceremonies before, during and after the wedding. These rituals change according to the region, family or caste.

Traditional ceremonies start once the fiancé proposes to his fiancée and she accepts his wedding proposal. However, in order to be able to get married, the couple must go through some rites to check if the union between both of them is right.

First, an astrologer will have to compare their birth cards in order to verify their degree of compatibility and which is the most appropriate date to celebrate the wedding. In addition, a priest will check their family trees for guaranteeing they are not related to each other.

Once the wedding date is set, the groom and his family visit the bride´s family house to determine the dowry. Although law punishes this practice, it remains between Indian families.

Between the rituals Indian people celebrate before the wedding there are: the engagement party, where the couple exchanges the rings and the bride´s family gives gifts to them and his family. The sangeet ceremony, which is exclusively for women, is the bride´s bachelorette party. And the Menhdi, the henna ceremony where women decorate their bodies with henna tattoos.

The wedding day everything focuses on colours. The groom arrives at the wedding on a horse, accompanied by his closest friends and family members, who dance to the rhytm of drums. The bride enters the place with her family and friends. Indian brides usually wear red or pink saris and decorate their bodies with beautiful jewellery. They always wear a necklace, which symbolizes the marriage. The couple lead the celebration seated on a throne.

During the ceremony, the bride must look down and don´t seem happy. She must show through her face that she is sad because of leaving her family house. After the wedding, the bride becomes part of her family in-law.

The celebration can last for days. After the wedding, it takes place the famous Vidai ceremony, which marks the leaving of the newly married couple.

If you are looking for a place to celebrate your wedding, we suggest you the luxury hotel in Alicante Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa. You will surprise your guests due to its magic Asian atmosphere, which will make even more special that day.