Walima/Reception

Walima/Reception is the final day of the wedding held by couple as they host their first dinner as husband and wife without the bridegroom’s parents this ritual cannot be performed. So to make Walima valid parents blessing and presence is the most important factor The groom's family specially father and mother play the important role to invites all of the bride's family and their guests to their home for a feast at their home or a marriage hall. The Walima is typically the most festive event of the wedding ceremony and intends to publicize the marriage

Some pictures of the Valima/Reception

example of wedding hall

Another example of the wedding hall

Rukhsati

The Rukhsati (sending off) takes place, when the groom and his family will leave together with the bride. The Qur'an (Holy Book) is normally held over the brides head as she walks from the stage to the exit in order to bless her. This is a somber occasion for the bride's parents as it marks the departure of their daughter from their home. The departure of the bride becomes a very emotional scene as she says farewell to the home of her parents and siblings to start a new married life.

Quran held over bride's head

Baraat (Shaadi)

Event # 7
 (Shaadi) is when the bride's reception formally takes place. The event takes place at the bride's house where large wedding tents may be set up in the garden or a nearby place. It has also become very common to hold the event in a marriage hall or hotel. The bride's family is responsible for the reception and arrangements of the day.

The barat or grooms procession indicates the arrival of the groom's family and friends to the bride's house. The barat is often accompanied by the rhythms of a dhol (drum) as it arrives and is greeted with flowers and rose petals by the bride's family. It is customary for the bride's sisters and friends to stop the barat from entering the arena until a sufficient amount of cash is given to them. This can lead to bantering, but usually harmless and just for fun, between the bride's sisters and friends on one side and the groom's brothers and friends on the other side.

The bride traditionally wears a red,pink or purple gharara, lehenga which is heavily embroidered. However, other bright colors may also be worn. The dress is always accompanied with heavy gold jewellery. The groom may wear a traditional dress such as sherwani with a sehra orturban though some may prefer to wear a western inspired suit.
A dinner is served which consists of several dishes with meat featuring heavily in the meal. Some of the well represented dishes in a wedding meal include pullao, biryani, nihari, chargha, various forms of roasted lamb, various forms of kebabs, naan, shirmal, taftan ,falooda, kulfi etc. .

Welcoming the Groom

Example of the wedding stage

Another example

Another example of the wedding hall

Groom

Groom

 Some examples how brides look :)

Bride (example of the dress)

 Some of the food in the wedding

Chi

Falooda (Sweet)

Chicken Tikka

Mutton korma (Curry)

Bihari kebab

Biryani

Kulfi (sweet)

Kebabs

Taftan (special bread)

Tandoor ki roti ( bread made in baken oven)

Videos (highlights of the wedding) got it from YouTube.

Nikah

Event # 6: Nikah


The Nikah is the Islamic marriage contract ceremony. It either takes place at the Shaadi itself or on a separate day at the bride's house or mosque, before the shaadi event.

It is performed by an imam (priest) which formally indicates signing of the marriage contract (Nikah Naama). The bride and groom must both have two witnesses present to ensure that the marriage is consensual.

Nikah-naama (document of marriage contract) is registered in Nikah. The Nikah-naama contains several terms and conditions that are to be respected by both parties (bride & groom). It includes bride’s right to divorce her husband. Nikah-naama specifies “Meher,” the monetary amount the groom will give the bride. Meher includes two amounts; one that is due before the marriage is consummated and the other that is a deferred amount given to the bride at a time to be determined. The Meher guarantees the bride's freedom within the marriage, and acts as the bride's safety net.
The fathers of groom and bride act as witnesses to the wedding. If father is not available, the senior male, brother or uncle performs the ceremony. Islamic Imam reads selected verses from the Quran and waits for the Ijab-e-Qubul (proposal and acceptance) of wedding. Usually, the groom's side makes proposal and the bride's side conveys her assent. Maulvi and witnesses take the Nikah-naama to the bride and read it aloud to her. She accepts the Nikah-naama saying 'qabool kiya,' meaning 'I accept and signs it. The Nikah-naama is then taken to the groom and read aloud to him. He accepts saying 'qabool kiya and signs the document. The Maulvi and witnesses (gavah) also do sign the Nikah-naama contract and the wedding becomes legal. The Maulvi recites the Fatihah, the first chapter of the Quran, and various durud, or blessings to mark the closing of Nikah ceremony.

After the wedding is legally announced, dishes of dates and misri (unrefined sugar) are served to the groom's family. Groom is then escorted to his bride where he’s allowed to site beside his wife. This is the time when sisters-in-law of groom play pranks and tease the groom.

Bride Signing the Nikkah Naama (Wedlock Certificate)

Mehndi Videos

Here are some videos I came across on Youtube enjoy :)

Mehndi Videos

Mehndi (Henna)

Event # 4: Mehndi (covering the both men and women side)


Mehndi, the Henna ceremony, or the Rasm-e-henna ceremony, typically takes place one or two days prior to the main wedding day. The event is traditionally held separately for the bride and the groom but recent years it is organized together. 

The bride normally wears a green dress or yellows/orange for the Henna celebration and uses only light, or mostly, no make-up. The groom will typically wear a casual Shalwar Qameez. The bride and/or the groom are brought forward in the ceremony under a decorative dupatta by their close relatives. In the bridal ceremony, a certain number of married women who are closely related to the bride apply henna to her hands, and feed her sweets. This ritual is supposed to bring good luck and longevity to the bride's married life. Similarly, on the groom's side, oil is applied to his head and sweets are fed to the groom.

A song competition also occurs in the Rasme Henna or Mehndi celebrations between the bride and groom's side. Young women and men will sing teasing songs about the other side (where the bride's side pokes good natured fun at the groom's side and vice versa) and try to compete in this ritual sing song. Sometimes elaborate musical and acting performances are part of the Mehndi celebrations. Elaborate dance sequences and competitions between the bride and groom's families are also quite common these days.

Traditionally, the Mehndi was considered a women's event and men did not participate in it. The sing song etc. was left almost entirely to women. However, this has changed substantially in recent times with males featuring prominently in the Mehndi celebrations as well. A recent trend gaining popularity is to announce a colour theme for the mehndi whereby guests are supposed to dress up in a particular colour. Commonly used colours are bright reds, oranges and yellows.

example of a Mehndi hall

Another example of the Mehndi Hall

All excited

Dandiya

Another Example of the hall

Mehndi placed in the decorated bowls

Mehndi placed

Mehndi hall example

Ceremony where people are putting Henna on the bride's hand.

Henna, sweets, and various other things.

Another example of the Mehndi hall

Another one of the hall

Some Examples of the Mehndi (Henna) on the brides hand.

Henna on the bride's feet

Henna on the bride's hand