Saturday, March 29th

12:00pm - 1:30pm

The haldi ceremony is a pre-wedding ritual in India. Haldi (turmeric) is said to protect the bride and groom from negative omen and it symbolizes the happy start of a new life together. The main highlight of the ceremony is the application of haldi (turmeric) paste on the bride and groom. Family members and friends take turns applying the paste to the couple’s face, arms, and hands. In Indian customs, the yellow colour of the turmeric is seen as auspicious and the haldi ceremony is viewed as a blessing to the couple before their wedding.

Blessings Ceremony

Sunday, March 30th

10:00am - 11:00am

The wedding day begins with the ‘Dakshina Kodukkal’ (or blessings) ceremony, where the bride will touch the feet of her elders and seek everyone’s blessings before heading to the wedding ceremony.

Reception & Sangeet

Sunday, March 30th

6:30pm onwards

The reception marks the first public appearance of the newlyweds. The reception is essentially a big party to let loose and finish off the the wedding festivities with a bang. The reception will be combined with the sangeet. The Hindi word ‘sangeet’ translates to “sung together” and it is traditionally a pre-wedding song- and dance-filled event. The sangeet ceremony is also referred to as ‘garba’ in Sanskrit.

The goal of the sangeet is to revel in the joy and happiness of the occasion. The purpose of a sangeet is twofold. First, to celebrate the couple and second, to connect the families coming together through marriage. It's a great chance for families to get to know each other.

Part of the celebration includes speeches as well as loved ones singing, dancing and performing routines for the couple. Following this, a buffet-style dinner and then dance party will take place. Bring your most fashionable, though comfortable, dancing shoes - you'll need them!

Mehendi Ceremony

Saturday, March 29th

6:00pm - 10:00pm

The Mehendi party is an Indian pre-wedding celebration during which the bride has mehendi (or henna) applied to her palms, the back of her hands, and her feet. Historically, the application of intricate henna patterns to hands and feet was just for the bride and her loved ones but modern weddings involve all guests, regardless of gender. The application of mehendi serves several symbolic purposes: It is regarded as a sign of ‘suhaag’ implying a blissful married life, and is emblematic of vibrance, fertility, and the attraction of positivity. With its cooling properties, mehendi is believed to help reduce a bride's stress as she embarks on her new journey. Designs unique to each bride symbolize various blessings, luck, joy, and love, may include the couple's faces, and often incorporate the bride's partner's name hidden among the imagery.

All guests can receive henna at the mehendi party. You don't need to have a design in mind—the artist can come up with something for you. Short sleeves will make it easier for the mehendi artist to apply your design, but the only real fashion guideline for a mehndi party is to leave your earth-toned neutrals at home. The Mehendi party attire is often all about vibrant colors and hues of green, orange, yellow, pink, and teal.

A Mehendi party is a night of fun with lots of food, music, and dancing. Mehendi parties are often planned to have a relaxed vibe, so expect to see plenty of comfortable (and colorful) seating options, as well as a variety of traditional Indian food (and street foods) to enjoy throughout the night.

Wedding Ceremony

Sunday, March 30th

11:30am - 1:00pm

During the wedding ceremony, a ‘veli’ (or holy fire) is lit in the center of the mandap (or ceremonial stage). The couple will circle the veli three times, after which the bride’s father hands the groom a ‘Taali’ (mangalsutra) to tie around the bride’s neck in a ritual known as ‘Taalikettu’. The taali is a sacred thread that symbolizes the couple’s marital bond and is a significant piece of jewelry for married Malayali women.

After the Taalikettu, the couple exchange garlands. This is followed by ‘Kanyadaanam’, wherein the bride’s father places his daughter’s hand in the hands of the groom. This symbolically represents that he is handing over the responsibilities of his daughter to him.

The wedding ceremony is followed by a ‘Sadhya’, which is a traditional meal of 25 items served on plantain leaves. The vegetarian Sadhya lunch concludes the wedding festivities.