Something Blue

I woke up today just like any other morning- tired and with a bad case of bed head.

However, after a quick bucket shower, some pump up music, and new clothes, I was completely transformed.

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What was the occasion?  An Indian wedding.

Yep, an Indian wedding.  I have heard about these magical occasions from many of my Indian friends.  Every story I hear involves many days of celebration, tons of amazing food, more people than you can count, colorful attire, and endless music and dancing.  Needless to say, I was super excited to experience it all for myself.

Before I get to the actual ceremony, let's talk about the clothing.  The blue tunic I was wearing is called a kurta pyjama.  Essentially, it is just a long gown.  The pants, called churidars, are made from a very light cotton, but shaped very strangely, as you can see in the picture.  They are tight around the lower part of my legs (my calves looked spectacular), very long so they bunch up around the lower leg, but very loose around the waist.  Not exactly sure why they are that loose, but hey, they are comfy, so I am not complaining.  

Elaine was wearing a sari.  Most of you probably know what a sari is, but if you don't, look to the left.  =)  There are many different ways to wear saris (different ways to wrap them), and she was wearing her's Gujarati-style.  (Gujarat is one of the 28 states in India.)  Which turned out to be extremely appropriate- even though we are in the state of Maharashtra, it was a Gujarati wedding.  And yes, she was also wearing Indian earrings, a necklace, anklets, bangles (bracelets), and even a bindi (decorative dot on her forehead).  I have to say, we looked pretty good.

I don't know where Indian weddings usually are, but this one was at Raghuleela Mall.  Yep, a mall.  Not what I expected, but amazing nonetheless.  Words will not do it any justice, so here are some more pictures!!!

When we arrived, the bride and groom were already in the middle of their pre-wedding games.  Apparently there are a lot of games at Indian weddings.  For instance, the bride was trying to put a garland of flowers around her soon-to-be-husband's neck, but his friends lifted him high up to make it more difficult for her.  It is supposed to symbolize that the bride will never be able to take the groom away from his family and friends.  After a failed attempt, his friends lowered him and he gracefully allowed her to place it on his neck.  More games- the groom's mother-in-law tries to get the groom's nose while his friends try to stop her.  The bride's friends steal and hide the groom's shoes.  Later when they get home, they put a ring in some murky water, and the bride and groom each try to find and pull out the ring first- the victor will supposedly rule their household for the rest of their marriage.  Every ritual and every game has some sort of meaning and significance.  It's pretty cool.  Not to mention, they can be nice little icebreakers for the bride and groom of an arranged marriage.  Continuing on...

Fruit Bar

Reception/Ceremony Area/Stage

Food!!!

FOOD!!!

MORE FOOD!!!!

EVEN MORE FOOD!!!!!!!!

Freshly made... FOOD!!!

The place for those who want no more food....

Let's talk about food.  As you can see, it is a very big part of the reception.  When we walked in, Elaine and I sat down to watch the ceremonies.  As we sat there, waiters came around with various fruit drinks and snacks.  And they kept coming.  As the ceremonies progressed, we noticed that nobody was actually paying any attention to the bride and groom.  Everyone was socializing and eating.  All of the above pictures were taken while the ceremonies were being conducted.  People say that the bride and groom often have the least amount of fun at an Indian wedding.  And I believe it.

Food was served buffet style.  It was being prepared right in front of us, for two hours straight.  Everyone grabbed a plate, a spoon, and a few little bowls for vegetables or beans or dal (kind of like an Indian stew).  See the picture with the "Used Plates" sign?  The host does not pay the catering company based on the amount of food eaten- they pay a flat rate for every plate that is used.   Therefore, eat as much as you want, but try to stick to one plate.  Not every wedding is a buffet.  At some weddings, hundreds of people grab plates and sit in a long line while the hosts go around and put food on everyone's plate.  When you are full and cannot eat another bite, they will insist that you have more and will literally put food in your mouth.  I totally want to experience that.  The trick is to stop eating when you still have room for a little bit more food.  Also, Rajiv told us that he has been to weddings before where the host will give a few rupees to anyone who eats every last grain of rice on their plate, and will give even a few more rupees to people who put some water on their plates and drink every last bit of food/sauce.  It encourages people to not waste food.  Plus, it makes washing the dishes easier.  

The bride and groom are Jain, which means that they do not eat meat, nor do they eat any roots (potatoes, onions, etc.) because eating the root kills the whole plant.  They take extra precautions to avoid harming any living entity, because it is unnecessary violence and causes bad karma.  Anyways, the point I am trying to make is... They were able to feed hundreds of people happily with just beans, rice, bread, paneer, and a few other items.  And my goodness!  The food was delicious.  I came hungry, and left happy. 

The bride and groom

 Most women at the wedding were wearing saris, but most guys were wearing button down shirts and dress pants.  I have no idea why.  Honestly, I would wear a kurta pyjama any chance I got.  They look fantastic.  Maybe that's just me... Anyways, everyone that was involved in the ceremonies looked super spectacular.  The bride and all of the bridesmaids had really intricate henna tattoos on their hands/palms/forearms (called mehndi).  Both the bride and the groom looked stunning.  I honestly have no idea what all of the ceremonies were, but I can tell you that they were on stage, under a tent, did something with a fire at one point, and had about 20 cameras in their face at all times.  They finished up their ceremonies right when people finished up lunch.  When people finished eating, they did one of three things- continued socializing, got in line to take a picture with the bride and groom, or left.  At least half of the people left right after lunch, myself included.  I did not get to experience the singing and dancing part of an Indian wedding, but if I ever do have that opportunity, now I have something awesome to wear.  =)

So cute.  =)

I had a great time.  Very grateful that they allowed me to crash, I mean, attend their wedding.  I wish them the best.  May they have a long and happy marriage!