The Indian Wedding Setup through the Eyes of a Westerner

I yesterday started telling you about Indian weddings, the questions that especially westerners have when they are guests on them. Today I would like to describe the setting at the wedding and why a first-time guest at an Indian wedding may first of all be overwhelmed or just completely fascinated.

When you arrive by car, you usually have to enter through a gate which is already heavily decorated. While you are walking towards the wedding hall, you see multi-coloured chains of light handing on both sides, you get an idea of the theme colour – these days often purple and turquoise, according to my wife’s reports – and you are often already walking towards a big TV screen.

Yes, a TV screen that switches from one scene to the other, showing what is going on inside the hall, at the gate that you have just passed and then there you are, walking towards yourself. Yes, there is the camera man – smile now! – and next to him the bride’s father and some family members welcoming the guests.

After having passed them, you stand in this wonderland of a decorated hall! You can see a stage on one side of the hall, a sofa or two armchairs in the middle, beautifully decorated, as though it was the king’s throne. Rows of chairs in front of the stage. Your gaze moves on and you see the next screen, again showing scenes of the guests coming in. These guests, all clad in the most beautiful clothes, are spread in the whole hall. You see men in elegant suits and then woman in their colourful saris, sequined and embroidered, the finest jewelry on their necks, ears and arms. Only watching them is an experience of its own!

The guests are not just standing around however, as you may think on the first look. No, they are moving towards the many food stands which you now discover at the other side of the hall. Wait, that is actually taking the biggest part of the space! One stall next to the other, like in a fair but here all food is free! You can try the biggest culinary delights and eat to your heart’s content! Ten different types of bread, from the popular Naan to mixed flour Rotis and finally to delicious South Indian Idli and Dosa. Vegetables of all kinds, all in rich sauces with cashews, cream and paneer. Rice in all forms, coffee, cold drinks and water and then, oh, the sweets! A long row of the sweetest creations you can think of, some hot, some cold, melting on the tongue and giving you the feeling that you know how heaven tastes like!

There are all popular Indian and even Chinese and Western snacks – Bhalla, Pani Puri, Chowmein, Pizza and Burgers! I got to know that these days there is a new fashion of having a stand with fresh fruit. You can eat pineapples, mangoes, kiwis, melons and other more or less exotic pieces of fruit. There will be one more table which you may at first curiously approach, not knowing what it is: dozens of small bowls with little pieces that you cannot straight away identify, some green, some red, some brown. It is pickles of all kinds.

Now before you venture out and try all of these delicious things, just let me give you a warning: take a little bit and try first – it could be super hot! Indians love chili in their meals and wedding food is obviously not an exception!

If you have the chance to be on such a wedding, my western friend, indulge in the experience, take in all the impressions of people, their beautiful clothes, the amazing decoration and the fantastic food! Enjoy!