As a wedding planning company, we enjoy planning weddings of all religions and cultures. The understanding behind each custom and the way it all comes together to form a beautiful wedding is an enriching experience for us. While each region has unique Christian wedding practices, the general procedure followed often has the same template. In this article, we delve into the beautiful traditions of Christian wedding rituals step by step. We will guide you through everything from match-making to the engagement ceremony, the holy mass, the exchange of vows, and the exchange of rings to the reception and first dance. Read on to learn all you need about Indian Christian wedding traditions.
Pre-wedding ceremonies
Indian Christian wedding traditions have come together as a result of a fusion of faith and culture. While most of the below ceremonies are not commonly seen in the Western region, they hold a high significance in India making them unique Christian wedding traditions.
Matchmaking
While love marriages have been in rage in the past decade, the traditional ways of Indian weddings have always been through arranged marriages. Matchmaking is an age-old practice where the elders of the family or even a middleman find compatibility between a girl and a boy and deem them to be an ideal couple for marriage. Once the families talk, then the girl and the boy converse and are given a choice to determine if they’d like to spend their life with each other.
Engagement Ceremony
A ceremony to officially announce the union of the couple, the engagement is the first of many events to follow before the big day! In this ceremony, the couple exchange rings as a promise of commitment to stay by each other for life. In Catholic ceremonies, the priest blesses the ring before the couple exchanges it. Another significant practice in the engagement ceremony is the groom gifting the bride clothes, perfume, and other objects that she favors. The ring exchange is followed by a grand celebration with family and friends and a great feast. Since this is the first event of the whole wedding, it’s an opportunity for both sides of the family to get to know each other better.
Bridal Shower/Bachelorette & Bachelor Party
A practice that has gained fame across religions and regions, this pre-wedding ritual is to honor the single life of the bride and groom before they move on to the next phase of their life. A bridal shower is mostly planned during the day, while a bachelorette party happens at night. Both events essentially celebrate the bride, with gifts and games focused entirely on her. A bachelor party has a similar scene but for the groom and his men. This pre-wedding event is also planned as an adventure trip by a few, while others choose to plan a house party or a night out at a club.
Mehendi Ceremony
While this pre-wedding ritual isn’t originally a Christian tradition, the blending of cultures across regions has resulted in a lot of families incorporating this event into their wedding. Mostly an event hosted at the bride’s home, it involves the application of intricate designs with henna/mehndi followed by dance and merriment.
Roce Ceremony (Haldi Ceremony):
This ceremony is performed for purification, prosperity, and blessings for a joyful marriage of the couple. Similar to a haldi ceremony in Hindu weddings, the roce ceremony involves close family and friends who come together and apply coconut oil followed by pure coconut milk on the bride and groom. In some cultures, turmeric is also added to the mixture. A hot water bath follows the ceremony.
This ceremony marks the last of the bachelorhood/spinsterhood of the groom and the bride. The coconut milk symbolizes washing away all sins and impurities before the wedding day. This event is usually held on the evening before the main wedding day or 2-3 days before as per convenience.
Christian Wedding Day Rituals & Wedding Ceremony
The Holy Blessing
Blessing of the wedding dress is a practice that is followed by Catholic Christians where the dress of the bride is blessed by the priest as a pre-wedding ritual. The groom’s mother then sends back the dress along with a few gifts for the bride on the morning of the wedding day.
Bride’s Entry
The journey begins from home as the bride travels on a transport arranged by the groom. She’s received by the best man with a bouquet and then the main walk down the aisle takes place. In Christian weddings, it is the bride who enters the wedding while the groom waits by the altar.
Bridal Procession
Once the guests are settled in, the wedding party walks down the aisle. Though named the bridal procession, this order of entry begins with the officiant followed by the groom. The best man and groomsmen follow the groom and then the maid of honor and the bridesmaids. Finally, the ring bearer and the flower girl lead the way to allow the bride to walk down the aisle, hand in hand with her father.
Wedding Mass
In Indian Christian weddings, the priest reads the testaments from the Bible and verses that align with the couple and their story. The priest also gives a sermon about the religious significance of marriage. The church choir then sings along with the wedding guests to bless the couple.
Wedding Vows and Ring Exchange
A heartfelt and significant ceremony in Christian weddings is taking vows. Some couples prepare their vows, while others abide by the vows that the priest recites. This is also determined by whether their beliefs are Catholic or Protestant. Once the vows are read, the couple are asked to exchange rings as a promise of their commitment to each other.
Declaration Of Consent
After the vows have been exchanged, the priest asks the couple for their consent to marriage. The words ‘I do’ mark the couple’s commitment to holy matrimony. This is an emotional and significant moment in the Christian wedding ceremony.
Solemnising with a Thali
A ritual that is native to Indian Christians is the solemnizing of the wedding with a gold chain that the groom ties around the bride’s neck. Similar to the mangalsutra in Hindu weddings, this gold chain with a pendant is an accessory that the bride will wear regularly. The groom then gifts her a saree or veil which she wears over her head. This ritual makes the holy marriage official and the couple seeks the blessings of the elders.
Throwing The Bouquet
This fun Christian wedding tradition involves the bride and the unmarried women guests. The bride stands and throws her bouquet backward while the women attempt to catch it. It’s believed that the person who catches it is next in line to be wed!
There is a similar tradition for the groom and his men. The groom is challenged to retrieve a garter from the bride’s leg and toss it towards the unmarried men. The one who catches it is the next to be wed!
Post Wedding Rituals
Reception
Following the wedding ceremony is the reception of a Christian wedding. This is the most fun part of the wedding where everyone lets their hair down and celebrates. The couple begins the event with their first dance as husband and wife and opens the dance floor for all the guests. They also cut the wedding cake, embarking upon their journey with a sweet start!
The reception is where the wedding party and the couple get to toast their union and the celebration. Few speeches are made and joy is shared over a feast.
At last, our Christian wedding comes to an end with beautiful traditions and rituals performed to strengthen the bonds of the couple forever. If the bride and groom are from varying Christian
Cultures, the families combine the cultures and celebrate a fusion of both making it a larger and grander celebration.
Another significant element in Christian weddings is the attire! In these weddings, it is not just the bride and groom who customize their attire, but the entire bridal party too!
The bridesmaids and the groomsmen are generally dressed to complement each other and the decor or theme of the entire wedding. The bride of course is dressed in white as per tradition, signifying a symbol of purity and new beginnings. The groom is dressed in a tux, with a bow or a tie as per his preference. The styling of everyone in the wedding is also a service that we provide as wedding planners because we want to ensure that no stone is left unturned for your perfect wedding!
If you’re looking for ideas on how to design your Indian Christian Wedding to match your personality as well as be in line with tradition, we’re just a call or email away!
At The Tales of Tradition, we weave your dream wedding into reality, offering comprehensive wedding services. Our expertise in grand event planning ensures every detail mirrors your unique story. Entrust us with your special day for an unforgettable blend of tradition, beauty, and seamless execution. Let us turn your wedding aspirations into a beautifully orchestrated reality.
