A Guide To Pre-Wedding Traditions For Asian Weddings

Whether you are planning your own Asian wedding celebration or are invited to a pre-wedding event and want to know what to expect, our guide will help you understand the traditions and meaning behind many pre-wedding ceremonies and events and how they are celebrated. 

Asian weddings are known for having a full week of celebrations so be prepared for lots of music, food, happiness and love! 

Roka Ceremony

Roka ceremony is a significant ceremony in the pre-wedding rituals of Indian weddings, as this is the first time both families from either side will officially meet. In this ceremony, the two sides will come together and give each other gifts, sweets and dry fruits. Some people will have a priest to perform a puja. A couples dance is usually performed at this ceremony. Usually, people will wear a range of outfits to this from anarkali suits to sarees. The mother of the groom gifts the bride-to-be with a gorgeous red dupatta as well as a pieces of jewellery and cash. A similar gift exchange happens for the other side of the family.

When does it happen? The roka is the first pre-wedding ceremony as this is the official engagement.

Who attends? This will have the couple's closest family and friends.

Sangeet Ceremony

This ceremony, known as a women's event, is an extremely fun pre-wedding ceremony at Indian weddings. At a sangeet, there is a lot of singing and dancing. This ceremony helps both sides get to know each other well and enjoy the wedding build-up together. You can enjoy delicious Indian food and have a laugh. For this ceremony, you can go for a comfortable outfit or a dressy outfit, whatever you can have fun in!

When does this happen? The sangeet ceremony is usually 1-2 days before the wedding day.

Who attends? All of the close female relatives and friends will attend the sangeet.

Mehndi Ceremony

The mehndi ceremony is a traditional ceremony that takes place at Hindu, Muslim and Sikh weddings. It's a significant part of the pre-wedding rituals in countries all over the world, from South Asia to the Middle East.  This ceremony often has a very relaxed, lounge feel to it as the venue should be decorated with colourful pillows and comfortable seating. The bride will be seated for hours whilst she gets mehndi (also known as henna) designs on her palms, forehands and feet; often the designs have a symbolic meaning. The rest of the guests also get their hands done too!

If you are attending a mehndi ceremony, you can prepare your skin by using a hand scrub and moisturising before you go to the ceremony. After getting it done, you want it to stay dark for a while so make sure it fully dries and starts flaking off on its own before you wash it off.

Tip: If you want the mehndi extra dark then you can mix lemon juice and sugar and dab it on whilst it dries and then wash off as normal.

When does this happen? As the mehndi normally happens during the sangeet, this will also happen 1-2 days before the wedding day.

Who attends? All of the close female relatives and friends will attend.

Haldi Ceremony 

The haldi ceremony is often held the night before the wedding day in Indian weddings. In this ceremony, you prepare a turmeric paste and apply it to the bride and groom's body and face. Haldi has purifying and cleansing properties so it is used to give the couple glowing, blemish-free skin ready for the start of their beautiful journey together. This ceremony is certain to bring giggles and fun to an already joyous occasion!

This ceremony occurs in other religions and cultures too. Some other names for it are; Manjha, Chiksa and Ubtan.

When does this happen? This ceremony generally happens the day before the wedding day.

Who attends? The bride and groom's close family and friends.

Bangle Ceremony or Chura Ceremony

In Indian weddings, the bangle ceremony is one of the most important customs and rituals. The family of the groom and bride will go to the bride's home and present her with bangles. The bangles symbolise that the bride is now a married woman and she typically keeps these on for a long duration after her wedding day too. There's a variation of styles and colours of bangles for different communities and regions of India, here's a few examples;

• Punjabi brides are known for wearing red and white bangles (Chura) as that signifies positivity and the start of a new journey. They also wear Kalire (gold and silver dome-shaped bell) from the bangles and these are hung by her cousins and friends.
• Gujarati brides wear a beautiful mix of red, gold and green bangles. This shows positivity, fortune and good luck.
• In Rajasthan, they wear a collection of colourful bangles. These colours can represent wisdom, success and strength. 

When does this happen? This can also happen 1-2 days before the wedding day.

Who attends? The bride's close family and friends.

Dholki Celebration

Before a Pakistani wedding day, there is usually a pre-wedding day celebration called a Dholki. This is where both the bride and groom's closest family and friends join them to sing and dance and celebrate their union. A salwar kameez is usually what people wear to a dholki, vibrant colours are usually worn as it is such a joyous occasion. A dholak is often played for everyone to dance and sing to which brings both families closer together.

When does this happen? This occurs 1-2 weeks before the wedding day.

Who attends? The couples' closest family and friends will attend.

Nahan Ritual

This pre-wedding ritual is associated with Parsi weddings and is extremely sacred. The couple take a holy bath, this will purify and cleanse them ready for their loving journey ahead. The guests wear vibrant clothing to celebrate the couple. The couple sit with close family and friends and the priest will perform this ritual.

When does this happen? This usually happens on the wedding day, as the completion of this ritual marks the beginning of the wedding day ceremonies.

Who attends? The couples' closest family and friends will attend the Nahan.

Whether you are hosting or attending these pre-wedding events, remember to have fun and enjoy the celebration! You can find many, fantastic wedding venues perfect for your Asian wedding on Guides for Brides.

Glossary

Although you may be familiar with some terms, others are unique only to weddings so here is our helpful guide. 

• Anarkali = A dress-like garment. This is a long frock style top which ends at the knee and creates a flowing silhouette.
• Chura = Bangles.
• Dholak = Indian drum.
• Dupatta = Long scarf.
• Gujarat = a region in the West of India. Gujarati people are from Gujarat.
• Haldi = Turmeric. This yellow spice is full of purifying and cleansing properties.
• Kalire = Gold and silver dome-shaped bells usually hung from the bride's bangles.
• Kameez = A long tunic.
• Mehndi = Henna, a reddish-brown dye made from natural materials. This is used to colour the hair and decorate the body.
• Nahan = Bath.
• Punjab = A region of India bordering Pakistan and is known as the Sikh heart of India. Punjabi people are from Punjab.
• Sangeet = Music. The Sangeet Ceremony is full of music, dancing and laughter.
• Salwar = A pair of light, loose, pleated trousers. These usually fit tight around the ankles and are worn by women with a kameez (salwar kameez).