The Reference Library
Every South Asian wedding ceremony, explained.
From the first 'yes' at a Roka to the last farewell at Vidaai — 66 deep guides covering every pre-wedding, wedding-day and post-wedding function across Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jain, Parsi, Christian and Buddhist South Asian traditions.
Hindu · North Indian · Punjabi
Roka
The first 'yes' — when two families officially stop looking.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Sagai
Rings exchanged, but blessings come first.
Muslim · Pakistani · Indian Muslim
Mangni
The proposal accepted, the rings exchanged, the date set.
Hindu · Sikh · Punjabi
Chunni Chadhai
The moment a Punjabi bride is welcomed into her groom's family.
All · Global
Save-the-Date Film
A 60-second cinematic to announce the date.
Hindu · Muslim · Sikh · Jain · Pan-South-Asian
Haldi
Turmeric, laughter, and the loudest, messiest love.
Hindu · Muslim · Sikh · Pan-South-Asian
Mehndi
Six hours of stillness, a thousand secrets hidden in the leaves.
Hindu · Sikh · Muslim · Punjabi · Gujarati · Marwari · Pakistani
Sangeet
Both families on one stage, taking each other on.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Ganesh Puja
The first invitation goes to the remover of obstacles.
Hindu · North Indian
Tilak
The bride's family travels to bless the groom — the first acceptance.
Sikh · Punjabi
Jaago
The night the aunts wake the village with a pot of fire on their heads.
Sikh · Punjabi Hindu · Punjabi
Chooda & Kalire
Red and ivory bangles she'll wear for a year, with silver kalire that fall over her unmarried friends.
Muslim · Pakistani
Mayun
She isn't allowed to leave the house, but she glows like the sun.
Hindu · Gujarati
Pithi & Garba
Yellow paste by day. 1,000-person dandiya by night.
Hindu · Marwari · Rajasthani
Mahira Dastoor
The maternal uncle's grand gifting — a Rajasthani tradition of maternal love.
Hindu · Kashmiri Pandit
Livun & Mekhal
The Kashmiri Pandit rituals that mark the bride's transition to womanhood.
Hindu · Sindhi
Berana & Ghari Puja
The Sindhi awakening — a night before, a morning after.
Hindu · Gujarati
Mandvo & Mameru
The Gujarati mandap raising and the maternal uncle's grand entry.
Hindu · Bengali
Aiburo Bhaat
The Bengali bride's last meal as an unmarried woman.
Muslim · Pakistani · North Indian Muslim
Dholki
The Pakistani women's night — drums, dance and dholki songs.
Muslim · Pakistani
Manjha & Ubtan
The Pakistani turmeric application — brighter, wetter, louder.
Christian · Goan · Mangalorean Catholic
Roce Ceremony
The Goan Catholic anointing — coconut milk instead of turmeric.
All · Modern · Global
Cocktail Night
The modern South Asian wedding's Western twin — champagne and choreography.
Hindu · Sikh · Muslim · Pan-South-Asian
Baraat
The groom arrives on horseback. Everyone else dances backwards.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Kanyadaan
A father gives away his daughter — the most quoted moment in every album.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Saat Pheras
Seven steps. Seven vows. One lifetime.
Hindu · Sikh · Pan-North-Indian
Vidaai
She throws rice backwards over her head and leaves the only home she's known.
Sikh · Punjabi · Diaspora
Anand Karaj
Four Lavan. One Granth. A marriage of two souls into one light.
Muslim · Pan-South-Asian Muslim
Nikah
Three questions. Three 'qubool hai's. A marriage in front of God.
Hindu · Bengali
Bengali Wedding
She is carried in on a wooden stool. Their eyes meet under a betel leaf.
Hindu · Tamil
Tamil Brahmin Wedding
A two-day ritual where the mantras are 3,000 years old and the silk weighs more than the bride.
Hindu · Marathi
Marathi Wedding
An antarpat curtain falls and the rice rains down.
Hindu · Telugu (Andhra · Telangana)
Telugu Wedding
Cumin and jaggery placed on each other's heads — that's the marriage.
Hindu · Kerala
Malayali Wedding
A 20-minute ceremony, a thousand-year aesthetic.
Buddhist · Sri Lankan (Sinhalese)
Poruwa Ceremony
A platform, a betel leaf, a queen's silhouette.
Hindu · Sri Lankan Tamil
Sri Lankan Tamil Wedding
A South Indian wedding with an island accent.
Hindu · Nepali
Nepali Wedding
Mountains in the backdrop, mantras at the centre.
Jain · Pan-Indian Jain
Jain Wedding
No fire-walk. Just vows in the presence of the Tirthankaras.
Zoroastrian · Parsi (India)
Parsi Lagan
Two souls behind a curtain, rice in the air, an entire community ululating.
Christian · Goan · Malayali · Anglo-Indian · Tamil Christian
South Asian Christian Wedding
A Catholic Mass, a Konkani roce, a Goan feni reception.
Fusion · Global Diaspora
Fusion / Interfaith Wedding
Two faiths, two languages, one wedding film.
All · Global
Destination Wedding
A wedding that doubles as a holiday for 300.
Hindu · Jain · Pan-Indian
Jaimala / Varmala
The garland exchange — the couple's first mutual acceptance.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Hasta Melap
The joining of hands — the couple's ritual first touch as husband and wife.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Sindoor Daan & Mangalsutra
The two most visible symbols of a married Hindu woman.
Sikh · Hindu · Punjabi
Milni
The formal introduction of the two families — brother to brother, uncle to uncle.
Hindu · Tamil · Iyer · South Indian
Kashi Yatra
The mock-pilgrimage — the groom pretends to renounce marriage.
Hindu · Tamil · Kerala · South Indian
Oonjal
The couple on a swing — a symbol of life's ups and downs.
Hindu · Tamil · Telugu · Kannada
Muhurtham
The astrologically-chosen sacred minute of the wedding.
Hindu · Tamil · Telugu · Kannada
Saptapadi (South Indian)
Seven steps — each with a vow more specific than the last.
Hindu · Nepali
Swayamvar (Nepali)
The Nepali garland exchange — deeply Vedic, rarely photographed abroad.
Buddhist · Sri Lankan · Kandyan
Kandyan Poruwa
The Sri Lankan platform ceremony — Kandyan royal in every detail.
Parsi · Parsi · Zoroastrian
Achumichu
The Parsi welcome ritual — egg, coconut and rice.
Christian · Kerala · Syrian Christian · Malayali
Minnu Kettu
The Syrian Christian gold cross pendant — Kerala's marriage symbol.
All · Global
Golden Hour Portraits
The 45 minutes that produce the album cover.
Hindu · Pan-Indian
Griha Pravesh
She kicks the rice pot. The home becomes hers.
All · Pan-South-Asian
Reception
The wedding's official 'after-party' — bigger, looser, more glamorous.
Muslim · Pan-South-Asian Muslim
Walima
The groom's family hosts the world.
Hindu · Bengali
Bou Bhaat
The bride's first meal cooked in her new home.
Sikh · Punjabi
Doli (Sikh)
The Sikh bride's farewell — with rice thrown over her shoulder.
Muslim · Pakistani · Bangladeshi
Rukhsati
The Muslim bride's farewell — Quran held over her head.
Muslim · Pakistani · North Indian Muslim
Chauthi
The bride's return to her parental home, four days after the wedding.
Hindu · Muslim · North Indian
Muh Dikhai
The formal unveiling of the bride to her new family.
Hindu · North Indian · Punjabi
Pag Phera
The bride's first return home — brothers come to collect her.
All · Global · Destination
Post-Wedding Brunch
The exhale — everyone in linen, mimosas at 11.
All · Global · Destination
Trash the Dress
Post-wedding editorial where the dress finally gets to move.