Wedding
A rite of passage that joins 2 families together through the couple
How are Marriages made?
Arranged
The family helps pick the spouse for their child
Strict Arranged
The family picks the spouse and the child has no say
Loose Arranged
The family helps but the child can say no
Love Match
The couple chooses each other and it is based on love
Indian American Wedding
Sangeet
Means “Sung Together”
A large party the night before the wedding with a large “talent show” where family members perform dances
Choora
21 red/maroon bangles gifted to bride
maternal uncles help the bride put them on
Kalire
Gold jewelry hung from the bangles
Unmarried sisters put them on the bride
Haldi Ceremony
Haldi mean tumeric
Wedding morning
Family puts tumeric paste on bride and groom
symbolizes purifying, blessings, and warding off the evil eye
Sherwani
The traditional outfit the groom wears
Lehenga
The outfit the bride wears
Couple wears red and gold
Baraat
bridal procession
husband rides an animal up to the wedding
elephant, white horse, etc
Bride’s family members block his way and must be paid
Chaadar
Bride walks down the aisle escorted by her brothers under a chaadar which is made out of her mother’s wedding Sari
mothers blessings and history
Terasalla
curtain that separates the bride and groom during the ceremony
Bride and groom put flower garlands on each other
whoever does it first is supposed to have the power in the marriage
Jeelakarra Bellam
couple places hands filled with a paste of bitter/sweet herbs on each others heads
represents joys and struggles in life
couple is married
Brazilian Wedding
Fun, joyful, noisy
fusion of traditional brazilian culture and catholic
Pampering the bride
day before
massages, facials, etc
bride feels good and free from stress
Brighter dresses for bridesmaids
bridesmaids wearing the same color is bad luck
wear bright colors
Writing names in the hem
bride writes single friends’ names in dress’s hem
good luck in love life
Wearing gold shoes
Gold heel dancing
Put gold shoes in the middle of the dance floor
money gets put in shoe
How to tame a donkey
Church Wedding Ceremony
Tie auction
Best man auctions off pieces of grooms tie
Sweets Table
Brigadeiro
Sprinkle covered chocolate balls
given to guests on way out
Translates to well married
Bem Casada
Cake filled with dulce de leche
Lifting of the bride and her dress