Aashirwad
also: Ashirwad
The Bengali pre-wedding blessing ceremony where elders from both families bless the couple, usually with rice grains and gold ornaments.
Anand Karaj, Mehndi, Sangeet, Walima, Mandap, Doli — the words you keep hearing. What they mean, where they came from, and which Melaa vendors you'll need to pull each one off in the GTA.
The Bengali pre-wedding blessing ceremony where elders from both families bless the couple, usually with rice grains and gold ornaments.
The Sikh wedding ceremony performed in a Gurdwara. Means "blissful union." The couple walks four laavan (rounds) around the Guru Granth Sahib while the priest reads each one.
A Tamil/Sri Lankan classical-dance debut performance, often held before the wedding by the bride. Not strictly a wedding ritual but commonly bundled into the wedding-week schedule.
The groom's wedding procession — traditionally on horseback, often with a dhol player, dancing family members, and the groom in a sherwani. Ends at the venue gate where the bride's side performs the milni.
The emotional farewell ceremony when the bride leaves her parents' home with the groom's family. Tears, rice tossed over the shoulder, a final hug — the most personal moment of the day.
A long scarf worn over the shoulder or head with a lehenga, salwar kameez, or sari. Often the most ornate piece of the outfit at South Asian weddings.
The Bengali turmeric ceremony, held separately for the bride and groom by their respective families. Yellow attire, music, dance, and a turmeric paste application.
The decorated horse the groom rides during the baraat. Typically white, draped in red and gold fabric, with bells and embroidered headgear. Ridden by the groom from a starting point near the venue.
A pre-wedding ritual where the bride and groom are smeared with turmeric paste by family members. Usually held the morning of the wedding or the day before. Believed to bless and beautify the couple.
The exchange of floral garlands between the bride and groom at the start of the wedding ceremony. Photographers usually shoot this twice — once for posterity, once for the joke moment when the families lift one of them up.
Decorative gold or silver dome-shaped ornaments tied to the bride's wrists by her sisters. The bride shakes them over unmarried friends — folklore says the next to wed is the one a piece falls on.
The ritual where the bride's parents formally give her hand to the groom. One of the more emotional moments of the Hindu ceremony.
A playful Tamil wedding ritual where the groom pretends to leave for Kashi (Varanasi) to pursue ascetic life — and the bride's father convinces him to marry the bride instead.
A long, embroidered skirt worn with a fitted blouse (choli) and dupatta. The most common bridal outfit for North Indian and Punjabi weddings.
The four-pillared canopy under which the Hindu wedding ceremony takes place. Usually elaborately decorated with flowers, fabric, and a small fire pit (havan kund) at the center.
A pre-wedding event where the bride (and often her female relatives) get intricate henna designs painted on their hands and feet. Usually a small, festive evening with food and dance.
The greeting ceremony at the start of the baraat where male relatives from both families exchange garlands and embrace. A formal introduction between two families.
The auspicious time fixed by the priest for the wedding ceremony to begin — calculated from the couple's birth charts. Tamil weddings revolve around the muhurtham; everything else schedules around it.
The Muslim wedding ceremony. The groom proposes a mehr (marriage gift) and the bride accepts; both sign the marriage contract in front of witnesses. Officiated by a qazi or imam.
A Hindu priest who officiates the wedding ceremony. Conducts rituals in Sanskrit and explains them in English/Hindi/Punjabi for the families.
The seven sacred rounds the couple takes around the wedding fire. Each round represents a specific vow — health, wealth, fidelity, family, harmony, longevity, partnership.
The Pakistani / Muslim equivalent of the mehndi night. Henna is applied to the bride's hands and feet, often with sweets and music. Held a day or two before the nikah.
A small ceremony marking the formal start of a relationship between the two families — essentially the engagement's engagement. Often the first event after the proposal is accepted.
A musical evening, usually held the night before the wedding, where both families perform choreographed dances, songs, and skits for the couple. The most fun event of the week — bring choreographers.
The veil of flowers or beaded strings that hangs from the groom's turban during the baraat, traditionally to ward off the evil eye.
A long, ornate coat worn by the groom — typically embroidered, often with a turban and dupatta. The standard outfit for North Indian, Pakistani, and Punjabi grooms.
A wedding conducted according to Sikh tradition, centered on the Anand Karaj ceremony in a Gurdwara. Vegetarian langar follows. No alcohol on the premises.
The sacred necklace tied around the bride's neck by the groom during the Tamil/South Indian ceremony — the moment of marriage in Tamil tradition.
A pre-wedding ritual where the bride's family visits the groom's home with gifts and applies a tilak (mark) on his forehead, formally welcoming him. Common in North Indian and Bihari weddings.
The reception held by the groom's family the day after the nikah. A celebratory dinner — the public announcement of the marriage. One of the five sunnah practices in Islamic weddings.
Every Melaa vendor lists the ceremonies they cover. Filter by tradition, by city, by ceremony — find your shortlist in five minutes.