One of our favorite things as a wedding planner is getting to learn about different cultures and wedding traditions. Not only does it educate us for future weddings, but it widens our knowledge of all the different cultures in the world.

Today we are going to share with you just a couple of Indian and Vietnamese Wedding Traditions in honor of showcasing our couple, Theresa and Chirag over the last couple of weeks on our social media platforms.

Indian Traditions

  • Red Wedding Attire: The red attire symbolizes commitment, spirituality and fertility.
  • Henna (Mehendi ceremony): Henna is usually applied to the bride’s hands and feet. They believe that the darker the henna is, the stronger the marriage will be.
  • Haldi Ceremony: A yellow paste called haldi is applied for good luck the morning of the wedding.
  • Mandap: After walking down the aisle for their ceremony, the couple sit underneath a decorative pavilion called a mandap, which symbolizes growth and well-being. Each pillar represents the parents love and support.
  • Holy Fire: Couple pledges their vows around a holy fire called agni that acts as a witness to the ceremony. The couple takes seven steps around the fire while saying a sacred marriage pledge.
  • Donning a Mangalsutra: The groom ties a holy thread called the mangalsutra. around the bride’s neck and the bride continues to wear this even after her wedding.
  • Punjabi or Gujurat’s: depending on where the couples family is from, guests join the day before the wedding for eating and traditional dances.
  • Bou Bhat: Afternoon following the wedding day where the couple’s friends and family are invited for a lunch where the bride is formally welcomed into the groom’s family.
  • Traditional Wedding Dancers: Special dance performances often happen during the reception.
  • The morning of: The groom’s entire party leads him to the wedding Mandap where he rides on a white horse and is greeted by the bride’s parents and other family elders.

Vietnamese Traditions

  • Red: red is also the dominant color for traditional Vietnamese wedding. It is considered lucky. The bride typically wears a dress called an ao dai.
  • Ceremony: couple kneels at the altar, asking ancestors permission to be married and for blessing son their family to be. The couple turns and bows to the bride’s parents and then to each other.
  • Betrothal Ceremony: public announcement that the couple is getting married.
  • Gift exchanges: After the church wedding and reception, several symbolic gifts are exchanged from both families. They believe that you are not just marrying their spouse, but each other’s family as well.
  • Red & Gifts: Gifts are placed on round red trays and the larger the amounts of trays, the larger the wealth. Everything is odd numbers for good luck.
  • Tea Ceremony: Also known as The Dam Hoi where the couple serves wine or tea to their older family members, while they in return gift the couple monetary gifts or jewelry.

All photos from a wedding Elegant Events planned.