First Step – Prayer for provision and nourishment
In the first step the couple prays to the almighty to provide them with nourishment and pure food so that they can live the life together with respect and honor for one another. They pray to the almighty to make them walk to together and get the food.

Second step – Strength
With the second step, they pledge to grow as one in mental, physical and spiritual strengths so that they can enjoy life and share their happiness.

Third step – Prosperity
In the third step the couple promises each one to earn and raise wealth by honest means and give comfort to the family. They also vow to share all the joy and sorrow together. The wife promises to be devoted to her husband and the man vows to respect and love his wife as the one and only woman in his life.

Fourth step – family
With the fourth step, they promise to take care of their elders in the family and not to disregard and forget them. Together they pledge to strengthen and maintain the family relationship.

Fifth step – Progeny
In The fifth step, the couple prays to the almighty to bless them with good-looking, kind and courageous children. They make a promise to be responsible parents and provide the children with fine education and fundamental values of life.

Sixth step – Health
With their sixth step together, the bride and the groom pray to divinity for disease free and healthy life for their families and themselves so that they can lead a harmonious and balanced life together.

Seventh step – Love and friendship
In their seventh and last step together, the couple swears to be a faithful companion. They also promise to live a life of love, friendship and mutual trust. The couple ask god to give them the wisdom of maturity so that they may live as friends for lifetime.

Having exchanged the promises of duty, love and respect, the bride and groom become a couple forever. These saat pheras make marriage eternal and the bride and the groom is considered to be a married couple. The saat phera ritual is also called shaptapadi or the seven steps where the groom promises of Kama, artha and dharma. The bride vows to stand by him and support him in fulfilling his duties. After the seven vows the couple bends down to touch their elder’s feet to seek their love and blessing for a happy and prosperous married life.

The most emotional ritual in an Indian wedding remains the kanyadaan. As per Hindu mythology, a Hindu person has to do certain daan, or donation, in order to receive moksha or salvation. By doing this only will a Hindu be allowed to go heaven after death. These include gaudaan where gau means cow and kanyadaan, where kanya means a girl, or rather a virgin. All the sins that may have been committed by the bride’s parents are able to get redeemed by doing kanyadaan.

During kanyadaan, the parents donate their daughter, a virgin, to the groom. No Hindu marriage can be completed without performing this ritual. The saat phere can take place only once this ritual has been completed. This is equivalent to “giving away” in a Christian marriage. In case the bride’s parents are dead or not able to attend the wedding, the brother can perform this ritual. Or else, a close relative has to complete this tradition.
The bride is considered as a form of Lord Vishnu, a Hindu God, at the time of marriage. During this ceremony, the bride’s father asks the groom to help the bride in achieving the various goals of her life including dharma, kama and artha. This is a highly emotional ritual in Hindu wedding ceremony as during this, the bride’s parents take away all their rights of being a father and give their daughter to the groom.

During this ceremony, the father of the bride places her right hand on the right hand of the groom. This is known as hastmilap, or meeting of palms. Next, the priest places some rice on the joined palms and asks the bride’s parents to pour sacred water over it amidst the chanting of sacred hymns. The groom hold the bride’s hands and vows to be loyal to her and take care of her for the rest of his life. At this time, the groom chants religious hymns to Lord Kama, the God of love.

In a Hindu wedding, the priest has no authority to wed the couple. This authority is vested in the Holy Gods who are witness to the ceremony. It is Agni, the Fire God, and other Gods who are invited to this ceremony and they can declare the couple as being wedded. The priest is there only to chant the shlokas, or holy hymns in Sanskrit, in order to assist with the wedding. The kanyadaan and all the other rituals of the wedding are witnessed by the Gods, the priest, the family members and all the other guests who have been invited to the wedding ceremony.

Accessories
As a general rule, always use accessories that complement your wedding dress. If you’re looking to achieve an elegant look, a strand of pearls is a great accessory that you can wear. If you’re going for more of a romantic feel, it’s best to go with antique jewelry instead.

Bridesmaid Dresses – Should They Match?
Even though most brides choose matching bridesmaid dresses, some see this as outdated. If you’re having a modern-inspired wedding, you may want to go with non-matching bridesmaid dresses.

Designer Indian Wedding Dresses
While many of us would love to wear a designer wedding dress, this is not always the best option. There are many other things to consider other than the brand – such as the fabrics and the style, for example.

Garters and Indian Wedding Dresses
Whether you like or dislike them, garters are considered important parts of the wedding ceremony. It’s best, however, that you go with good, hidden garters that don’t spoil the wedding dress.

Jewelry
Even though most girls are crazy about jewelry, it’s best to wear it in moderation. A great rule to follow is this: the more complicated the wedding dress, the simpler the wedding jewelry needs to be.

Length of the Indian Wedding Dress
While most brides prefer long wedding dresses, this may not always be the best choice for everyone. If the wedding is held during the summer months, for example, you might want to go with a cooler and shorter Indian wedding dress.

Preserving Indian Wedding Dresses
Once the wedding is over, it’s good to have your dress professionally cleaned and properly stored. Also, be sure to keep it in a dry, cool place where there is no sunlight.

Red Indian Wedding Dress
In many cultures, the red color is believed to bring good fortune; for this reason, many brides choose to wear red wedding dresses. If colors like white or cream don’t appeal to you, why not go with a red wedding dress?

Underneath the Wedding Dress
Even though the wedding dress is important, what you’ll be wearing underneath it matters as well. If you want to achieve an hourglass shape, for example, it might be best to wear a corset.

When You Should Begin Looking For an Indian Wedding Dress
It’s best to start looking for an Indian wedding dress six (or more) months prior to the wedding. Keep in mind that it can take a lot of time to find the perfect wedding dress and it’s also likely that you may need a few alterations.

Zip with Care
While this may seem like a no brainer, many brides have ruined their Indian wedding dresses because they did not “zip” with care. These dresses are made using delicate fabrics, so be careful!

If you are looking forward to a classic Indian style wedding, you can start planning from your clothes. As there are many parts of the full wedding programs, you need several costumes ready for both bride and bridegroom. Pre wedding programs are mehendi (where henna is applies on the bride’s hand), turmeric program (where turmeric is applied on both bride and bridegroom), and then comes the wedding. These programs may vary along those factors. Mainly grooms wears sherwani, kurta payjama, and turban in these programs. Brides mostly wear saree or lehenga. There are various kinds of Indian wedding sarees, with different designs and textures. Various kind of silk sarees are popular for wedding. For mehendi you can choose cotton sarees like Jamdani. For wedding, sarees like Katan, Banarasi, Gadwal, Kanchipuram, Paithani sarees are famous.

Now a day, sarees of semitransparent tissue or georgette clothes are getting famous. There can be various designs over these cloth types. You can choose from simple fabric work, designer woven and embroidered with metallic materials or golden threads. These sarees can be found in different shops of different region of India. Some sarees also get imported, so you can find them worldwide. The price of saree varies with its quality and design. There are many online shops where you can order your Indian wedding sarees.

The traditional color of Indian wedding saree is red. Mainly Hindus and Muslims prefer this red color for their wedding. Though Christians can wear a white saree or gown. Now brides in India are wearing different colors at their wedding. Blue, green, golden, red and green mixed, and other colors are now getting applied in Indian wedding sarees.

Many accessories are also needed to prepare a bride in Indian wedding style. Indian brides prefer to wear gold jewelry. Diamond is also getting popular now. There are many traditional and modern designs in gold jewelries. You can choose yours from beaded stoned and many other types. The design of these also varies in different regions. In wedding, Indian brides wear jewelry from top to bottom. You can wear necklace, earrings, anklets, jewelry for waist, forehead and head top, finger-ring, bangles etc.

The whole Indian wedding ceremony is a long traditional program. Bride and bridegroom often get exhausted. You have to make so many plans before you go through all these programs. But this can be really romantic. And the bride will look prettiest in her Indian wedding sarees. According to Hindu wedding vow, you promise each other to be together in every step for seven lives. There are also some small fun rituals that go along with the wedding program. With all these, you can promise your loved one to be with him/her forever

First and foremost comes preparing the bride for her special day. The day starts with the bride given a bath using gram flour, turmeric, oil and sandalwood powder. This mixture is considered a gentle scrub, which will soften the bride’s skin and give her the special glow.

The next item on the list is the bridal dress. The traditional Indian wedding attire for the bride is red sari or lehenga, which is heavily ornated. However, these days, a bridal dress can in any bright colors such as green, gold or pink.

The third item of adornment is flowers, which are used to adorn the bride’s hair, which is oiled, combed and styled. The flowers are considered as a symbolization of marital happiness.

The fourth item on the list is Kajal or Kohl, which is used to line the bride’s eyes. The Kohl is said to not only help in making the bride’s eyes appealing but also ward off evil eye.

Next on the list comes the bindi that is placed on her forehead . The bindi is said to indicate a bride’s commitment to her spouse.

The next few items in the Solaah Shringar are the different items of jewelry, which is used to adorn her. This includes Maangtikka, which is the ornament placed in the hair parting, the Nath or the nose ring which is symbolic of a married woman, Karn Phool or earrings worn, necklace, made of gold or silver, and red and gold bangles which are worn for the longevity of the husband.

In addition to the items mentioned above, Solah Shringar also includes armlet and rings, which are worn on all five fingers, which are joined together by chains to a medallion on the outer palm of the hands, which in turn is joined to the bangles.

The bride is also expected to wear a kamar band, an intricately designed gold or silver waistband, anklets on her feet and toe rings on her feet.
The one thing that cannot be forgotten is the henna or mehendi, which is used to decorate the bride’s palms and feet. The mehendi is considered as a symbol of prosperity that the bride will bring into the union.

As the final step, the bride is anointed with perfume.  Once the Solah Shringar is completed, the bride has been dressed completely to be the princess she will be on her marriage.

But though many couples strive to make their weddings as memorable as possible, there are relatively few weddings that can truly be called “unique”. To make a wedding unique and memorable can be quite challenging as all weddings and their traditions tend to be similar and to afford a grand wedding in some great cathedral may prove to be too much for one’s budget. But it is still possible to make one’s wedding standout and still manage to be a strong memory that is ingrained deep within the mind, body and soul of one’s married life.

Unique wedding invitations can help make their weddings more intriguing, exotic and all the more memorable. For Muslims who wish for an Indian themed wedding; an invitation card patterned with star and moon symbols as well as paisley, metallic and diamante designs and features the name of the couple in gilded lettering on the front of the invitation. As it is with other wedding invitations, Muslim invitation cards wish the groom a long and happy married life, prosperity and spiritual progress. It will also the exact date, time and location of the wedding for the recipient.

For Hindus seeking to marry in the old traditions of India, wedding invitations will feature symbols of Ganesh, Kalish or Om, deities who are believed to play large roles in one’s married life and Hindu religion in general. Paisley patterns for invitations are also favored over most and in the Middle East it is often known as Mankolam or Boteh Begheh. Like all invitations aimed at most Asian religions, metallic paper and gilding are particularly prized over most others because it represents prosperity and longevity for many Asians and their beliefs.

An Indian girl wears many adornments, which indicate that she is married now. These include the mangalsutra, toe rings, glass bangles, a red bindi on the forehead besides sindoor, which is red powder in the hair. All these are indications that she enjoys a higher status in the society as she is now an adult and capable of running a household. Wearing of the mangalsutra in an Indian wedding is a highly auspicious ritual. No Indian wedding can be complete without performing this ritual.

The word mangalsutra has been derived from two words. Mangal means holy and sutra means thread. The mangalsutra is a holy thread that the groom ties around the bride’s neck at the time of marriage. She wears it till her husband is alive or till she is married to him.

The mangalsutra is an indication that the groom accepts the bride as his wife. It denotes that they will follow a life full of love, trust as well as commitment towards each other. This is a way for the groom to enhance the status of the bride and make her his life partner.

Since India is a highly diversified country, hence the mangalsutra too is worn in different ways. Traditionally, it used to be a cotton thread dipped in turmeric paste that was tied around the bride’s neck by using three knots. While the first knot was generally tied around by the groom, the other two were tied by the groom’s sisters. This ceremony takes place while the priest is chanting Vedic hymns and in the presence of invited wedding guests.

Later on, this yellow thread is replaced with a necklace made of gold beads and black beads along with a heavy gold pendant. The design of the gold pendant is decided by the groom’s family depending on their customs. This replacement is done on an auspicious day in the presence of elders and while chanting Vedic hymns.
In the southern states of India, the mangalsutra is known as “thally” or “mangalyam.” On the other hand, in the northern states of India, it is known as the mangalsutra.

The mangalsutra is considered to have divine powers. Each of the black beads is considered to be able to ward off evil powers and protect the couple, especially the husband. This is why the woman would never take it off. In case the mangalsutra gets lost or is broken, it is considered to be very inauspicious.

In different states and religions, the design of the mangalsutra varies. In the western state of Maharashtra, there will always be one or two vati in the pendant. The Gujaratis as well as the Marwaris like to opt for a diamond pendant. In Bengal, corals will be incorporated into the mangalsutra design. But in the modern scenario, the mangalsutra has become more of a fashion statement.

Money

The most cultural and known traditional Indian wedding gift of all time is money. It is the other way of counterweighing the married couple’s expenses from the preparation down to their honeymoon till their setting up a brand new home. The most interesting part about giving money as Indian wedding gift is that the amount should end in one, regardless of currency. For instance, 201 U.S. dollars, or 501 Rupee.

Jewelry

Indians, regardless of traditional alterations, love to have jewelry. For that reason, speaking of Indian wedding gifts, you can needlessly depend on jewelry as the best gift ever. Gold and silver are few of the jewelry that is considered as most common Indian wedding gifts.

But you can also give precious stone-studded pieces of jewelry that fit the couple such as anklets, chains, bracelets and other accessories like necklace, pendants, and watches. Also, you can present engraved accessories, coins, and earrings to make exquisite Indian wedding gifts. However, there are still more economic choices – costume jewelry for those with tight budget. Designer costume jewelry these days has a vast demand. You have to make sure that the jewelry, most especially when you buy it online, has durability and high quality.

Decors

Buying home décor items can be a good option to present at an Indian wedding. There are a lot of things to choose from when you prefer to buy home décor items such as decorative baskets, scented candles, crystal artifacts, and chandeliers. You can also consider electronics, decorative paintings, silk throws, diya lamp, and cutlery. You can just go online or just have it in your nearest shopping mall. Of course, you need to be aware of the price and its quality.

Small Treats

Ittar, perfumes, silk sarees, are some of the few small treats that are considered as nice Indian wedding gifts. You can express your creativity and practicality when creating weddings gifts by making sweet nothings, specialty paper, with chocolates and sweets. You can also give small luxuries like gift coupons to their favorite restaurants, salons and spas, stores, or even wedding package at any of their favorite luxury hotel.

Silver

Shimmering silver is considered as perfect wedding gift next to gold, which is more common in India. When it comes to silver, Indian culture recommends silverware as wedding gifts such as bottle openers, salt and pepper shakers, and cutlery set. Also, heart-shaped silver pieces are also perfect Indian wedding gifts.

The dresses for the dance are usually designed to be comfortable for dancing. Women wear chaniya cholis, colourful skirts and blouses, which are embellished with beautiful embroidery. The dress for men usually compliments women’ dresses: They wear kurta with collar less shirts and tight pants, which are called churidars in the local language. It is also advised to dance in barefoot, as the steps to be performed are complex and cannot be performed well in stilettos or are uncomfortable to be done in high heels. Hence, stockings and shoes is not a worry. But make sure that you do not wear socks on the dance floor as this might cause you to slip on the dance floor. Raas Garba is a combination of Raas and Garba. Raas includes dancing with sticks, locally called dandias. A dancer hits the dandia of his/her partner, while performing a Raas Garba step. The dance is pretty easy especially, if you dancing on the beats of a Gujarati song. Garba is when many groups are doing a rhythmic dance simultaneously. It usually involves repeating of basic steps.

Watch the Raas Garba videos online! In case you do not find them convincing enough, you can always join dance classes, to learn the dance steps. In areas, where the Indian culture in very popular, Raas Garba classes are not hard to find. You can always ask your Indian Gujarati friends to teach you Raas Garba, as every immigrant is the ambassador of his birthplace. No one can teach better Raas Garba than the Indians themselves. If you are living in India, Raas Garba is really easy for you to learn. If you do not get to attend many Gujarati weddings, taking dance classes for Raas Garba is not a difficult task for you to accomplish. The Raas Garba dance is not really hard to learn as most of the time it is the fast tracked music that counts. If you are following the beats and the rhythm properly, left feet do not matter much. Above all, this dance is really enjoyable and involves great interaction of the other group members. All in all, the dance is really fun and embodies Indian culture in the best possible way.