Known for their elegance and simplicity, Christian weddings are one of the most beautiful ones! These weddings in India celebrate traditional Indian culture while incorporating elements of Western white weddings. From the traditional white wedding dress to the ring exchange ceremony and the holy mass, there are countless customs involved. These weddings are beautiful celebrations of love. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to immerse yourself in the magic of Indian Christian wedding rituals!
The Announcement or The Engagement
The engagement at a Christian wedding usually involves announcing the holy matrimony of the bride and the groom. This usually happens at a gathering of friends and family. The parents of the bride approve of the couple and announce that couple is set to get married soon. The announcement is followed by rejoicing and congratulatory messages from the loved ones for the couple!
Bridal Shower
Much like Hindu weddings in India, Christians organise a special party for the bride-to-be! At the bridal shower female friends and relatives of the bride gather together to shower the bride with love, blessings, gifts and encouragement to start a new phase of her life with the love of her life! The bride cuts a pink cake with a thimble in it. It is believed that whoever gets a piece of cake with the thimble will be the next one to marry.
Bachelor/ Bachelorette Party
Bachelor and bachelorette parties are among the most popular wedding trends in India right now! At a bachelor party, the friends, brothers and cousins of the groom throw a party for him to celebrate his last moments of bachelorhood! The groom-to-be celebrates with a lot of drinks, fun and games. The female counterpart of the bachelor is the bachelorette party thrown for the ‘bride by her friends, cousins and sisters. In this ‘no-men-allowed’ crazy party, there’s fun, fashion, games and drinks.
The Roce Ceremony!
The Roce ceremony is celebrated only at an Indian Christian wedding! Quite similar to the Haldi ceremony at Hindu weddings, friends and family apply turmeric and sandalwood paste on the bride to get her wedding ready in North India! In South India, however, turmeric paste is replaced with coconut paste to attract good fortune and blessings for the bride-to-be!
Walking Down the Aisle
On the wedding day, the bride arrives at the wedding location in a car sent by the groom. The best man greets the bride with a bouquet. She, then, walks down the aisle with her father by her side as the groom waits for her on the other end of the aisle. On reaching the other end, her father turns the bride towards the groom for the wedding ceremony to begin!
The Holy Mass
One of the most important ceremonies at a Christian wedding, the Holy Mass involves the priest reciting songs and the attendees blessing the couple with prayers and good wishes! After this, the priest receipts the sermon and explains the value of the sacred bond of marriage to the couple. The ceremony is followed by the exchange of rings and the signing of the legal marriage between the couple.
Exchanging Wedding Vows
As the bride and groom promise each other forever, they read out loud the wedding vows written by them for each other. These wedding vows are about their love, relationship, and the life that they want to spend with each other.
The ‘I do’
The moment we all have been waiting for all our lives is to officially say ‘I do’ to the love of your life! “Do you (insert name) take (insert name) to be your lawfully wedded wife/husband, to share your life openly, standing with her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love forever more?”, the priest asks them one after another. They reply with an ‘I do’ and seal their marriage with a kiss.
Tossing the Bouquet
After the Christian wedding ceremony, the bride tosses her bouquet backwards towards a crowd of unmarried women. The person who catches the bouquet is supposed to be to next one to get married.
The Wedding Reception
An Indian wedding isn’t complete without a happening reception and a Christian wedding is no different. The newly married couple cut the wedding cake and perform their first dance. They are then joined by others on the dance floor. The ceremony concluded with a lot of fun, laughter and love!
It’s a wrap!
Indian Christian wedding rituals are rich in tradition and symbolism, and they continue to be a beloved part of the country’s cultural heritage. So, whether you’re planning your wedding, attending a friend’s, or simply learning more about Indian Christian culture, take the time to delve into the beautiful and meaningful traditions that make up this rich and diverse heritage.