Indian weddings are famed for their exquisite cultural detailing. Everything, from beautiful, delicate wedding clothing to long-established customs and traditions, comes together to create a timeless and vibrant celebration.
If you’re planning your wedding abroad, or if only one partner has Indian heritage, you may need help adapting those cultural details for a different setting. And figuring out which traditions translate well beyond India.
Planning a traditional wedding like this may come easy to couples marrying in India. But it can be a whole different prospect for couples marrying outside the country or when two cultures come together.
So, let’s look at some traditional elements of an Indian wedding and how an expert luxury destination wedding planner can help bring them into any global destination or blended-culture wedding.
What are the Key Traditions of an Indian Wedding?
Like most weddings, Indian weddings are all about tradition. But with such a rich selection of wedding customs to choose from, we’ve highlighted some of the more traditional elements that still work with a global touch.
The Mandap
Translated from Hindi, Mandap means ‘a covered structure with pillars’, and as one of the most important elements of an Indian wedding, the Mandap is an absolute must-have. As the comparable equivalent of a church altar, it holds great significance and serves as the visual and emotional centrepiece under which the wedding ceremony takes place.
A traditional Indian Mandap is a heavy, ornate four-pillar structure. But elsewhere in the world, they’re usually temporary, lighter, and more minimalist. Still using traditional motifs, they can be more contemporary in style. Customising them with flowers, lights, and fabric drapes can suit your needs and style.
Traditional garlands
The striking garlands used at Indian weddings are known as genda phool, and traditionally made of fresh marigolds, though other flowers are used for different garlands. Symbolising the sun, positive energy, and new beginnings, the bride and groom exchange their garlands in a ritual called Varmala. This exchange is similar to the giving and receiving of rings in a Western wedding.
While fresh marigold garlands are plentiful in India, if you want them as part of your wedding in the UK or any other destination, you'll need to source them from specialist florists well in advance. Of course, your expert wedding planner can take care of this for you so they arrive fresh on the morning of your wedding – wherever you are.
Brass decor
Brass is another traditional and deeply symbolic element of any Indian wedding, representing spiritual purity and divine energy. Items, from lamps and decorative objects to sacred vessels like the kalash (water vessel) and nilavilaku (traditional oil lamps), are integral pieces to an Indian wedding.
While they have symbolic relevance, they’re also widely used for decoration, adding a traditional element when paired with more contemporary or minimalist wedding decor. And, much like fresh marigolds, you or your wedding planner will need to source authentic brass elements well in advance from specialist Indian wedding suppliers.
Mehendi and Haldi ceremonies
As pre-wedding ceremonies go, these are two of the most fun and beloved in Indian culture. Mehendi is the ritual of applying detailed henna designs to the bride's hands and feet, representing deep love and a strong marriage. Haldi involves friends and family applying a turmeric, sandalwood, and rose water paste to the bride and groom. This is to help drive away negative energy while giving the happy couple a pre-wedding glow!
It’s traditional to hold both of these ceremonies separately, but many couples, especially in a blended-culture wedding, are combining them. Naturally, this can help you keep costs down, but it also gives you a chance to combine one partner’s Indian heritage and traditions with the other’s background and influences.
Adapting Indian Wedding Traditions for a Global Celebration
While these Indian wedding traditions may tick all the right boxes and quickly become firm favourites for your day, remember the size and scale of your destination wedding. Getting married abroad often means having a smaller, more intimate one-day event rather than the full-day events typically seen in India with hundreds of guests over several days.
Adapting your wedding can mean scaling back on certain elements, like the Mandap or using upcycled or recycled fabrics to decorate it. A natural backdrop, like a beautiful garden or stunning view, can also do a lot of the hard work for you. This will help keep things simple, but still sumptuously elegant.
Whatever you choose to do or include, don't feel you need to replicate every traditional element of an Indian wedding exactly as it would appear in India. The key is cultural fusion. So take the colours, patterns, decor, and motifs from both sides and reinterpret them your way.
Blended-culture weddings can be a far more personal affair, with couples drawing inspiration from both families, their heritage, and influences. By doing this, you can create a single fusion decor and theme for a truly unique and memorable ceremony that brings together your individual stories.
Need an International Wedding Planner for your Indian Wedding?
Matthew Oliver Weddings are international wedding planners working with Indian couples across the world. Whether you are looking to get married in the UK, Europe or India itself we’d love to be a part of your love story.
If you’re planning a luxury destination wedding that brings together two cultures and are wary of navigating all the things you should or want to do, then get the experts in to help you. Get in touch with Matthew Oliver Weddings today, and let’s plan together to bring out the very best of both of you.
