Immersive Indian Weddings: How Foreign Guests Can Enjoy Indian Wedding Traditions
From the warm hospitality, to the diverse flavours, the intricate designs and detailed attires to music and dance that changes from state to state, an Indian wedding is surely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most foreign guests. Often perceived as grand, extravagant affairs that last for more than a few days, the weddings in India are a true representation of our rich culture. Since these celebrations are a first time experience for a majority of foreigners, the responsibility of ensuring they have a good time, falls upon the hosts of the wedding. Read on to find some ways for your foreign guests to enjoy Indian wedding traditions.
The Magic of Indian Weddings
With vibrant colours, delectable feasts, heart-thumping music and the joy of community, Indian weddings have a charm of their own. The elaborate rituals and varying degrees of cultural nuances might be a lot for the foreign guests to understand and participate in, but there are several ways of including them. Despite the culture and background of families, couples these days are choosing to add common ceremonies in their wedding where all guests engage with each other and the event. The most frequently seen events are the Mehendi, Haldi and Sangeet Ceremony.
Sangeet Ceremony
A musical event filled with performances of singing and dancing is the easiest event for your foreign guests to participate in. Since most dances are practiced much before the wedding day, all the guests will feel like they’re a part of the family and participating in the wedding ahead of the actual event. In several parts of South India, planning an event just for dance and music is not part of their tradition. But a lot of couples are incorporating it their wedding events since the sangeet provides a convenient ice-breaker into the rest of the wedding. There’s no greater joy than to see your foreign guests dancing to a Bollywood number!
Mehendi Ceremony
Intricate designs artistically drawn on the hand to leave a temporary mark is something that is considered exotic by most foreign nationals. This interactive event allows for a cultural immersion that also acts a keepsake for your guests until the henna fades. Though history tells us that this is an event dominated by the women folk, we’ve now seen men participating in this in their own ways. From hashtags to superhero symbols and cartoon figurines, mehendi designs have expanded in its horizon making the event enjoyable for both genders of foreigners.
Haldi Ceremony
While India is known to use natural and organic products to solve almost all our problems, this event gives the foreigners an opportunity to actually see it come to life. Haldi or Turmeric is commonly seen in Indian kitchens as a superfood that has elements that fights allergies, cancer cells, and even depression. But it’s also considered highly auspicious, and is used in most religious events. Due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, it is applied on the skin of the bride and groom to give them the much needed glow before the wedding day. This ceremony allows your foreign guests to immerse themselves in the event by applying the haldi on the couple using their hands. The stain that turmeric leaves adds glow to their hands (and face if they’re not spared) as well!
They Joy of Community
India and Indians all around the world are known for the importance that they give to their communities. Unlike most other countries where the wedding has the closest of family and friends, the Indian definition of close relatives is largely different. The average number of people in an Indian wedding is 550. The interaction and the involvement of foreigners with wedding parties that are much larger compared to their native counterpart is an experience in itself. Shared responsibilities and participation in all events can be conveyed to them priorly so they can be prepared and partake in all the festivities as a part of their newly founded community
Atithi Devo Bhava
This tagline that was adopted by the Indian tourism ministry is borrowed from the Hindu Vedic Texts of Upanishad. The emotion that any guest is to be treated with the same respect as God is a cultural value that is deeply ingrained in all Indians, despite where they live. To experience this hospitality in its finest is at a wedding where the foreign guests can truly understand the meaning behind the term. Adding a few extra elements to foreign guests to give them a warm introduction to India goes a long way. Simple things like a Garland, vermillion, or sprinkling rose water as they enter as easy additions to enhance their experience.
Food as a Cultural Experience
The feasts at Indian weddings are nothing short of a gastronomic experience for many foreigners. The variety and richness of the food is not something that they get to see often. From spicy curries to sweets that melt in your mouth, their culinary encounter at an Indian wedding will surely make or break their overall experience. It is very important to add at least one or two items on the menu that they can fall back upon in case the flavours are too strong for their palate.
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Understanding the Rituals
Indian weddings are known for their detailed rituals and the meaning behind each intricate ceremony. Language proving to be the main barrier will prevent the foreign guests from understanding what is going on during the wedding. While one option is to have the priest translate all that he’s saying to English, another way could be to print out the meaning and guide to rituals beforehand and give it to your foreign guests. This gives them an option of listening in and participating in the ceremonies that they’d like. For most foreigners, this might be the only Indian wedding experience of their life, and making sure that they’re not confused or feel left out is important.
While you make plans and put in all efforts to ensure that your foreign guests have a good time at the wedding, keep in mind that this wedding is a reflection of India itself and not just your family. Allowing guests to engage in tradition and participate in ceremonies will create everlasting memories for them and they will back home with a positive impression of the nation and its people. More than anything, staying authentic will go miles to ensure that your foreign guests have a great Indian wedding. Being a wedding planning company that majorly plans inter-cultural weddings and traditional ceremonies for NRIs, we’ve learned the art of making foreign guests feel comfortable in traditional Indian weddings. Talk to The Tales of Tradition today to understand how to make your wedding, one that your foreign guests will not forget!
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.
