Exotic Indian Wedding

Christian weddings are known for their sobriety and elegance. The bride’s white

wedding gown, the flower decorations at the church, the gorgeous bridesmaids and the 

cute flower girls, all together make a Christian wedding a treat to the eye.

The Christian weddings in India are a happy blend of Indian and Western customs. The 

Indian Christians, while adhering to their Indian culture have incorporated some western 

customs as well. This amalgamation of Indo-Western customs is visible in the wedding 

rituals. Here are the main traditions and rituals of an Indian Christian wedding.

 

Pre Wedding Rituals

The engagement ceremony: The first function of the marriage is the engagement 

ceremony. It is generally hosted by the bride’s parents and is a gathering comprising of 

only close family members and friends. The couple exchange rings on this occasion. 

The engagement is announced in their local churches as well.

Bachelor and bachelorette parties: It is a trend that is getting popular in India. The 

friends and brothers of the groom host a bachelor’s party for him. This party celebrates 

the groom’s last days as a bachelor. On the other hand, a similar party is organised for 

the bride by her friends and sisters. This is known as the bachelorette party.

The Roce Ceremony: This ceremony also known as Haldaat relates to applying the 

paste of tumeric and sandalwood on both the bride and the groom. Haldaat ceremony is 

prominent among the North Indian Christians. The Haldaat ceremony of North India is 

known as Roce. Among the Christians of western and southern India like in the state of 

Goa, coconut paste is applied on both the bride and the groom instead of tumeric and 

sandalwood paste.

 

Wedding Rituals

Reception of the bride: On the wedding day, the bride arrives at the wedding venue in 

a car sent by the groom. His best man receives the bride and escorts her inside. Later, 

the father of the bride escorts her down the aisle on the other side of which, her groom 

patiently awaits her. He hands over his daughter to the groom and showers his 

blessings.

 

Exchange of vows: Both the bride and the groom write their own wedding vows which 

they read out to each other at the time of the wedding. The vows are messages of love 

and respect that they have for each other.

 

The 'I Do': After reading the wedding vows, the priest asks both the bride and the 

groom if ‘they agree to love and cherish each other in health and in sickness for as long 

as they shall live?’ The consenting couples reply to this by saying ‘I Do’. The priest then 

pronounces them husband and wife.

 

The Indian touch: Traditionally, in Indian Christian weddings (especially in south India) 

the groom places the ‘Thali’ or 'Mangalsutra' around the neck of the bride instead of the 

giving her a ring. However, the trend of rings is gaining popularity and most couples are 

going for it now.

 

The throwing of the wedding bouquet: After the wedding ceremony, the bride tosses 

her wedding bouquet and all the unmarried girls try to catch it. It is said that whoever 

does, gets married next.

 

Post Wedding Rituals

Reception: After the wedding, a reception is held where the bride and groom perform a 

rehearsed ball room dance sequence. This is followed by a family dinner when the 

wedding cake is cut and toasts are raised for the newlywed couple.