Wedding Related Events
There are many events that go along with weddings. *Spellings (and sometimes names) of events may vary.
Here is a list to remind you of all the fun you'll be having:
Bridal Shower…traditionally a women's only party with games, gifts, and teasing the bride
Bachelorette Party…ladies night! with drinks, dancing, debauchery
Bachelor Party…guys night out! with drinks, dancing, debauchery
Mendhi…traditionally a women's ceremony although nowadays it is usually another everybody. womens hands are adorned with henna/ mendhi. green is traditionally worn during this ceremony.
Grah Shanti…traditional religious ceremony to bless the household.
Pithi / Haldi…ceremony to beautify the person getting married. Family and friends rub yellow paste on arms, face, neck of the soon-to-be-wed person.
Garba…this is more common with Gujarati families. It is a dancing event for everyone to get together to do raas and garba.
Sangeet…this is an event with performances by friends and family often highlighting music, song, dance, skits, speeches. In the USA many of these events end with the guests on the dance floor.
Baraath...this is the groom's grand procession traditionally on a horse with his family and friends dancing around him
Milni...brief introductions of bride's family/ relatives meeting corresponding family/ relatives on the groom's side
Wedding...bride and groom get hitched!
Reception…the final event of the big wedding celebration, usually has dinner, dancing, a few speeches, cake cutting.
Vidai...this is a more traditional ceremony when the bride leaves her family to go to the grooms family officially.
First Homecoming...bride ‘comes home’ to the groom’s home usually in a traditional sari, and usually a sari provided to the bride by the groom’s family.