Mehndi MadnessTM Blog
Krysteen
Vidaai Ceremony (Hindu weddings) - This ceremony is an exciting party with music, dancing, and eating traditional foods. It is also an emotional one. It marks the bride's removal from her family's home, and the beginning of her new life with her husband. Many blessings are given for a successful marriage, fertility, wealth, and happiness. The sisters of the bride collect money from guests for the groom, and as the bride leaves her house for the last time, she throws rice behind her. Whoever gets showered with this rice is blessed with prosperity and good health. This act signifies the bride giving back to her family all of the blessings she has received while being raised. When the bride and groom step into their car, the bride's brothers and/or cousins push the car to give their relationship a head start. Money is thrown on the road in order to ward away any evil that follows them.
Wedding Reception - The reception is held typically the same day as the wedding ceremony. This is a time to celebrate, thank guests for accompanying you through this new beginning, and welcoming them into your new life. This is a time to have fun!
Wedding Games - These games are meant to break the ice between the bride and groom since in the past, the bride and groom were not to meet until their wedding day. They are now kept in the reception because they are fun to play and provide entertainment throughout the reception. Some of the games are:
Hide the Shoes - The groom is required to remove his shoes before entering the Mandap ceremony. The bride's sisters and maids find the right time to take the groom's shoes and hide them. After the ceremony, the groom and the maids have to negotiate a ransom for his shoes and often include sweets and money. This is a playful game between the bridesmaids and the groom.
Pillow Talk - This is similar to the TV game show “The Newlywed Game” The bride and groom sit back to back with a pillow held between them by a third person. The bride and groom are asked questions about the other person and only allowed to answer yes or no questions by nodding or shaking their heads and not speaking. The bride and groom must answer the same questions and much laughter is accompanied by their answers.
Fishing the Ring - This is a fun game between the bride and the groom. The couple sits facing each other with a bowl of milk between them. A third person drops a ring into the bowl and the couple must fish for it. Whoever finds the ring first wins and becomes the boss of the household for the remainder of the marriage. This isn't a serious outcome, but is played purely for laughs and entertainment for the guests.
The Knotted String - This game is said to predict the type of relationship that the couple will have in their marriage. The two have a bracelet of string tied around their wrist with complex knots. The two must unknot these knots using their opposite hand. This is very entertaining for guests as the two think of creative ways to work together to untie each other's knots.
