In
India, the wedding ceremony is an elaborate process wherein pomp, splendor and
gaiety all have to be mixed and exhibited. Secondly, a week ahead, before the
Final ceremony, the rituals, the customs, the traditions and the culture all
have an important role to play, in solemnizing this conjugal bond a reality.
First
of all, the Budget of Expenditure has to be approved and the number of guests
both staying and visiting has to be finalized. An ideal location has to be
selected wherein accommodation could be provided for relatives and friends
visiting from distant places. Secondly, a suitable place, where the ritual of
the wedding ceremony could be performed and lastly, a gathering place, the
Grand Reception, where people, from far and near, could assemble and be regaled
of the delicacy of the banquet.
All
these places have to be reserved almost six months in advance as there is a
heavy rush for bookings, as because in India, we have particular months
designated as the Marriage Season, hence there is a heavy flow. Decoration of
the wedding venue is also a long process and has to be planned before hand with
the decorators. Even the Purohit, has to be informed and kept in good humour
for the appointed day.
Thereafter,
an invitation Card has to be printed wherein the entire details and timings of
the occasion is given. Before the actual wedding ceremony, there are certain
other customs which has to be followed, like Mahila Sangeet, Haldi Arpan,
Bathing rites and fasting. All these have to be mentioned in the Invitation
Card, as most of the guests would like to be a part of this ceremony too.
The
Caterers, should be called in and right from breakfast till dinner everything
has to be scheduled for the guests who will be staying overnight for days. The
food should be well planned as there would be both vegetarian and
non-vegetarian guests. Hence, the success of a Wedding to be remembered depends
upon the varieties of food that has been served on each passing day.
Subsequently,
after all these arrangements have been executed the next most important thing
is the Beautification of the Bride. Right from facial cosmetics to the
adornment of Saris would be the next important features on which the Guests
would be feasting their eyes upon. The prosperity of a Bride’s family would be
assessed, from the quantity of gold and jewelry adorned by the Bride on her
Wedding. Therefore, to obtain a reasonable grade, the family would spare no
effort in turning their daughter into Queen Midas.
Moreover,
the Bride’s family has to play second fiddle to the entire guest of the Groom’s
family and friends. On the Day of the Reception, utmost care has to taken to
play a good host to the visiting dignitaries. Hence, for this occasion,
efficient family members are chosen to take up their roles, to cater to all the
whimsical yearning and pretence of the groom’s troupe. Though we may say, like
Chetan Bhagat, that marriage is a bond which unites two family, but above all
it is an ostentatious display of wealth and grandeur by the respective family
to out do each other.
