Asian weddings

aiste — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:23:27 +0000

All Asian weddings differ – from Sikh to Hindu, from Bengali to Muslim, but all include flowers at certain stages.
Sikh weddings
Flowers can mark any occasion and an Asian wedding is no exception, with families going to great lengths to ensure the color and vibrancy of the flowers match the happy occasion. The Sikh wedding in particular is marked by many ceremonial stages throughout the day and flowers play a vital role in some of these.
The Sikh wedding day begins with a reception of the Barat (the groom’s family), where they are welcomed by the bride’s family at the Gurdwara, the Sikh temple. This is followed by a ceremony called milni which is where the men on both sides of the family greet each other in turn and exchange garlands. The garlands can sometimes be made out of flowers but otherwise tend to be made of shiny pieces of foil. Once this is complete, the priest reads an ardas which is a prayer of blessing on the joining of the two families. The Barat are then offered tea and snacks prior to the wedding ceremony.
Some Sikh weddings include another small ceremony which is wherethe bride and groom meet each other and place a garland around each others neck. This is called a Jaymala. The flowers used for the Jaymala ceremony are usually in red and white, but this does not have to be the case. Brides may choose a different colour to match her outfit and that of the groom.
At the Anand Karaj, which is the wedding ceremony itself, flowers are usually placed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy book. The ceremony commences with prayers, followed by lavan. This is when the bride and groom walk round the holy book four times, before the piiest says his final prayers.
Once the wedding ceremony is over, there is usually a wedding reception. This is sometimes in the temple itself, or can be at a hall, hotel or other venue.
As with all faiths, more and more Asian people are focused on having the perfect wedding and weddings are now more lavish than they have been in the past. Flowers are used for decoration puiposes at the venue and are now an essential extravagance. Brides may choose to include flowers in their hair.
The civil ceremony, as a separate wedding function, has become fashionable. The bride and groom will endeavour to colour co-ordinate the flowers.

Alfeaart

Asian weddings