Indian weddings on Lake Como
Well, we told you it would happen – and it has. Indian weddings are once again at the forefront of everyone’s mind with Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ ultra-lavish Hindu ceremony earlier this month.
Unless you have been living under a rock you will have seen the pictures of the gorgeous couple were splashed all over every paper in town; proving that when you’re in love, nothing can stand in your way – not culture, nor religion, not background.
This got us thinking … as newlyweds Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh recently proved, Lake Como is THE best place to hold a wedding. So we thought it was time to organise some Hindu weddings in Italy ourselves! Of course, it goes without saying that the Bespoke team will not only respect all traditions to the letter but we know exactly who, what, when and where to go to in order to make your Indian wedding in Italy something amazing! If you are not familiar with what to expect at these blowout celebrations, we have provided a handy guide below, and believe me, you’re going to need it!
Indian wedding traditions
Day 1: the first thing you need to know is that this will not be a quiet wedding followed by a quick drink in a local bar. Oh no. Day one is the pre-wedding ceremony, and starts with the ganesh pooja, a private ceremony reserved for family and close friends only.
Day 2: this is where it all hots up! The day will begin with a Grata Shati, when the two families are separated into their respective homes. This is when the bride and her female friends have intricate henna tattoos drawn on their hands and feet, called a mendhi. Note that the wealthier the bride’s family, the more elaborate the mehndi. The groom in turn will be having his Baraat and it’s where he will arrive by horse, elephant or sometime nowadays, a really cool car. The evening is where the fun really begins! The evening celebrations – or Sangeet – is when the happy couple, sometimes with, sometimes without their families perform superb choreographed dances with costumes, orchestras worthy of any Bollywood movie!
Day 3: today is the formal wedding ceremony, performed by a Hindu or Sikh priest. The priest will pray to Ganesh to remove obstacles from the union under a mandap, which will have been specially constructed for the vow ceremony. The bride will traditionally wear red and gold while the groom will be in ivory. The ceremony can last as long as two hours or can be very short – sometimes even just 20 minutes – depending on the traditions and culture of the region in India. While exchanging rings is not a traditional part of the Indian ceremony, some modern couples like to add this into theirs. The groom will also give the bride a mangalsutra, or sacred necklace, as a symbol of their marriage, and will mark her forehead with a sindoor. There are seven vows taken during the ceremony, but you won’t see the happy couple locking lips, so don’t expect to hear “you may now kiss the bride”! The evening is a more formal reception, with most guests wearing western clothes.
Exhausted? Perhaps, but in a good way. Just imagine the fabulousness of an Indian wedding set against the stunning backdrop of our Lake Como and – ta da – you really do have a match made in heaven.
Ready to plan your Lake Como Indian wedding ? Please get in touch with us!
Love, The Bespoke Team x