Nature Wedding

Whether you're getting married indoors or outdoors, there are plenty of options to incorporate the natural elements for your big day. You can bring the organic beauty of nature into your wedding theme and colors through Nature Wedding. Get inspired by the Mother Nature’s extraordinary natural colors, textures and refreshing natural lighting. Paint your dream day with the true colors of nature. Celebrate your special day in lush greenery with subtle sounds of nature that will provide an endearing backdrop for your wedding ceremony.

Bollywood Theme Party

Are you planning for an amazing theme party, but are running out of party theme ideas? Then you should consider a fun filled Bollywood theme party. If you are a movie buff, Bollywood theme party is just for you. It is one of the most interesting themes for any kind of parties. Bollywood’s growing popularity has created a fascination with Indian culture and made the Bollywood theme one of the most fashionable party choices. There are many filmi ways in which you can make your Theme party a visual treat to the invited guests.  Movies, music, dance, masti, hungama will be the highlight of a Bollywood theme party that will definitely make the day special. The sizzling and glittering decorations can turn the party hall into an extravagant movie set.

The livelihood of any theme party will depend on the preparations and thoughtfulness in planning the event. There are plenty of options when planning a Bollywood Theme Party with colorful and vibrant designs, furniture and props to recreate the real essence of Bollywood. You will find all the Indian themed decorations fitting the Bollywood colour palette and style. The hot pink and burnt orange colour combination associated with Bollywood has become the highlight of the decor for Bollywood Themed Parties. Bollywoodthemes can be included in summer parties, birthday parties and even weddings as it creates a sparkling environment and plenty of opportunities for the invited guests to dress like Bollywood characters with colorful Indian dresses and enjoy dance and music in the traditional Bollywood-style décor. A touch of Bollywood in the music selection for the party is inevitable. Since, the theme for the party is ‘Bollywood’ your guests can choose to come in any glamorous outfits. But fixing a dress code will definitely help in bringing the party alive. The guest couples can reach the party dressed as Bollywood’s hit pairs like Shahrukh Khan & Kajol, Aamir Khan & Juhi Chawla, Saif Ali Khan & Kareena, Madhuri Dikshit & Anil Kapoor and so on. 

An instant Bollywood themed environment is created as guests step into the party venue. Bollywood themed décor with bright props and rooms filled with rich colors will leave the guests with excitement. The décor for Bollywood theme parties are dreamy, vibrant, relaxing and colorful. The mixture of traditional Bollywood elements and personal touches makes the party so exciting. The party area will have plenty of sparkle and vibrant colors, with alluring seating area embellished with floor pillows and colorful outfits on guests.  Movie tunes will be played in the background. Huge amount of decoration is not required for a Bollywood theme party. But, the party decorations will easily convey glamour and stardom. 

Red carpets will be spread all over from the entrance to bring out the real Bollywood essence. The walls will be filled with celebrity posters and guests dressed in their favorite celebrity costumes. There will be a variety of games and activities arranged in connection with the theme of the party. For a successful Bollywood theme party, the planning, decor, food and the dress code should go with the core idea of the theme i.e. Bollywood.

Want to present your wedding in the best light?

Planning a wedding is a major undertaking that can lead to stress and unhappiness for the soon to be married couple. As we all know that Wedding is the most awaited and special event in everyone’s life whether it be a girl or a boy. New trendy concepts such a Theme weddings, adventure weddings and destination weddings have boomed the floor. There are a number of trained professionals who will handle your marriage function from day one till the end. With the expansion of wedding planners, the marriages nowadays are a complete package where every little thing organized and arranged in a systematic way. 

The wedding celebrates love, affection, and emotions. With the inception of wedding planners the concepts of wedding have changed to a great extent. Theme based weddings are becoming popular among the public. The wedding invitations, cake and favors are great ways to show off the wedding theme to guests. The wedding theme is incorporated in very simple and understated ways. Nowadays people are becoming so trendy and theme based weddings are one of the best choices for making the wedding a memorable one. 

Rituals in Hindu Wedding

The Hindu wedding rituals may vary depending on which part of India the bride and the groom are from. Notwithstanding regional variations and diversity of languages, culture, and customs, the basic tenets of a Hindu marriage are common throughout the Indian subcontinent. A Hindu marriage is called Vivah and the wedding ceremony is called Vivaha samskar. In Hinduism a marriage is considered a samskara (sacrament) because in Vedic tradition it is an important turning point in the life of a householder and in the destiny of the souls that depend upon the marriage for their return to the earth.

Hindu marriage ceremonies are colorful, and the celebration may extend for days depending upon the social and economic status of the bride and the bridegroom. The rituals associated with Hindu marriages vary from caste to caste. However, there are a few rituals that are common to most marriages.

The Hindu marriage rituals can be broadly classified into pre marriage rituals, marriage rituals and post marriage rituals. Pre marriage rituals include a formal get together of both families, usually at the bride's place, to facilitate a meeting between the bride and the groom. Once they give their mutual consent, parents proceed with other arrangement such as fixing the marriage date, writing a formal declaration of marriage called the lagna patrika, choosing the marriage hall, finalizing the guest lists, printing the invitation cards, exchanging gifts, and reaching a formal agreement about dowry and duties and responsibilities of both sides during the marriage function, etc.

The common marriage rituals include inviting the bridegroom to the marriage place called mandap, giving away the daughter as a gift to the groom called kanyadan, tying a knot called maanglsutra, holding the bride's hands and accepting her called panigrahan, and walking seven steps together around the fire altar called saptapadi. All the rituals are performed by a Vedic priest accompanied by appropriate Vedic chants. The marriage is performed in the presence of gods as the witnesses. As in other Vedic sacrifices, Agni, the fire God acts as the primary recipient of the offerings that are made to gods in the marriage. The bride is also one of the offerings. The Chants which are used in the marriage ceremony are mainly in Sanskrit. But, the priests also use native languages while giving instructions to the groom and the bride during the ceremony to help them perform the rituals, take the oaths or chant the mantras.

Common post-wedding ceremonies include, arranging some traditional games between the bride and the groom to increase their playfulness, watching the star Arundhati, sharing a meal, receiving blessings from the elders, family photographs, and driving the bride from the marriage hall to where the groom and his family stay or live. At the main entrance to the groom's house, the newly married couple are welcomed with traditional aarati. The bride kicks a vessel of food grains that are kept at the entrance of the house, before stepping inside first with her right foot and next with the left foot since right foot is considered auspicious. The event marks the beginning of the householder's life for the couple.

Marriages, according to Hindu beliefs are made in heaven, and once you are married, the bond is supposed to last for seven lifetimes. It is considered to be a turning point in an individual’s life as he enters the second important phase or ashram of his life – the ‘Garhasthyaashram’. The Hindu wedding ceremony can stretch to any length of time. For a religion as ancient and rich as Hinduism, its customs are as countless as they are timeless. Every single custom and practice in a wedding ceremony has deep philosophical and spiritual significance. Throughout the world the Hindus adhere to these set of rituals and continue on the traditions of marriage that is unique amongst those in the world. 

What are the customs for traditional Christian weddings in Kerala?

Kerala is full of diverse tradition and culture. The three major communities in Kerala are Christians, Hindus and Muslims.Christians of Kerala have immersed themselves into the customs and practices of other two communities in Kerala, the Hindu and Muslim which blend to form a truly special wedding ceremony. Taking a look at the wedding attires and the bridal jewelry the Indian Christian weddings are quite distinct from what we imagine.

The major wedding ceremonies in a Kerala Christian wedding:

Matchmaking

Marriages are considered the union of two people predestined by God. The initial proposal of the marriage begins from the brides sides through elders, relatives or with the help of brokers. Once both the families are fully convinced and satisfied about the family status and background, then they proceed to fix a date for the engagement or manassammatham and wedding day after the male members from the groom’s side of the family goes to the bride’s home for fixing the wedding also known as kalyanamuraappeeru.

Pre- Wedding Rituals

Betrothal or the Manassammatham

After the date for the wedding is fixed the next function is the betrothal or the manassammatham. Generally, the engagement ceremony takes place in girl’s home. Both the bride and groom show their willingness to marry in front of the church and their relatives. Betrothal is usually done as a small marriage function itself. The groom and his family members reach the bride’s parish along with the letter from their priest. All family members attend this ceremony and give their blessings to bride and groom for their married life and future.
Announcement of Marriage via Church - Kalyanam Vilichu Chollal

After the betrothal function, the marriage acceptance of both the bride and groom are announced to the public during Sunday Mass.

Wedding Eve

Madhuram Veppu

The day before the wedding is filled with a number of ceremonies and rituals which follow the customs of Christian marriages. Night before the marriage, at the brides and grooms house, the Madhuram Veppu is conducted. The bride /groom is placed in a special seat and then the prayers are done and the uncle of the bride/groom will ask to the group of close relatives, whether he shall give the bride/groom the sweet, It will be asked three times and then sweet is given to the bride/groom.

Wedding Day

On the wedding day, the bride and the groom set off from their home after offering prayers. Marriageis usually conducted by the groom’s party, at their parish. The marriage is done along with the holy mass. The marriage is blessed in the middle of the holy mass, by the priest. One of the most imperative rituals in a Kerala Christian Wedding is Minnukettu. The bride ties a thaali on her neck. It is hanged on a string which is made from the seven threads that are taken from mantrakodi. Later, this string is replaced by a gold chain. At the end of this wedding ceremony, the couple signs their names in the register along with two witness’s signatures. With the end of the marriage functions at the church, the bride changes her costume to wear the mantrakodi.

Which are the Kerala's traditional wedding jewelries?

Kerala is not only famous for its scenic beauty, but also for the gorgeous bridal jewelry. Most women in Kerala wear gold ornaments today irrespective of religion or caste. In fact, gold is an indispensable part of religious and social occasions like weddings. Purity and untold craftsmanship is what you will find in traditional Kerala jewelry designs. One can find the essence of Tradition, diversity and elegance in different Kerala jewelry patterns.

Some of the Kerala jeweled masterpieces include Payyannur Pavithra Mothiram (ring), gold necklaces namely Manonmani, Ilakkathali, Poothali and others. Ear studs such as Jimikki, Kannuneerthulli, Thoda etc. and Bangles like Kappu, stones, pearl and enamel painted bracelets are a part of traditional Kerala Wedding jewelry designs.

The traditional Kerala Wedding jewelries are as follows:

• Manga Mala Necklace

The Manga Necklace is the most common jewelry design of Kerala that stands out for its traditional heritage combined with trendy and eye catching looks.

• Mulla Mottu Necklace

“Jasmine buds” necklace or the Mulla Mottu necklace has a series of jasmine buds running across the necklace creating a visual treat to the eyes. This traditional jewelry design comes in two different combinations:  plain gold and the ones with studded gemstones.

• Palakka Mala

This ‘leaf’ necklace with mango shaped emeralds is typically green in color. A combination of emerald and ruby further makes Palakka Mala a mesmerizing piece of Kerala jewelry.

• Lakshmi Mala

This traditional Kerala pattern ornament has a number of coins strung together with Goddess Lakshmi, the symbol of wealth and prosperity, encrypted on each coin.

• Poothali

Intricate flowers and leaves are filled in the Poothali necklace making it attractive. The small thaalis that dangle from each piece add a glorious touch to the bride wearing the jewelry.

• Nagapada Thaali

This Kerala pattern ornaments is similar to Palakka Mala. The only difference lies in the shape of the pendants. Nagapada Thaali has small sized pendants when compared to Palalla Mala. 

• Pathakam

A pendant in chain form, Pathakam is yet another fantastic rendition of Kerala jewelry. This consists of a thin, simple golden necklace, at the centre of which is a gorgeous pendant that stands alone in all its glory. This is usually the very first necklace in the bride’s jewelry that sits closest to her neck.

• Karimani Maala

Karimani mala is usually one of the longer pieces of Kerala wedding jewellery. It consists of black beads which are interspersed with golden beads of the same size. There are some small pendants too that are often attached mid-way. It remains one of the most popular and gorgeous pieces of jewellery that you could own.

• Kolusu

Typicallly called Anklet, a ‘Kolusu’ is a Payal worn by girls and women on weddings and festive occasions. A kolusu makes a pleasant sound when the girl or the bride moves around. Traditionally, it is made of silver but it is also available in gold.

• Jhimkis

The bell-shaped designer earrings worn by the bride in Kerala is usually seen as a part of temple jewelry. The two designs of jhimiki include ear studs in palakka (leaf), another type of jhimki is a gold-plated earring that has small dangling bells.

What is the role of a wedding planner in Kerala wedding?

A wedding planner always strives towards making your dream wedding into reality by creating an unforgettable experience with their innovative ideas. Keralites tend to spend big bucks for marriages nowadays. A marriage is not a ceremony anymore. It has become an event and event management companies have stepped in to make it the greatest show on earth. They try to outdo each other by providing innovative ideas to clients depending on the client requirements within the given budget. The inception of Themedwedding, Destination wedding, Fusion wedding, Adventurous wedding etc. is the result of innovativeness brought out by the event management companies to deliver their best to the clients. Weddings are only getting lavish day by day and malayalees don’t mind spending some extra bucks to make it more eventful. Wedding have become an event for people to flaunt their wealth in front of the public. The ups and downs of the gold market has not at all affected the purchasing capacity of the mighty malayalees.

Keralites have started to hire wedding planners for their weddings to make the day magical and to witness their big day in style stress free. They want to make sure that the Wedding day is special and matches wedding of their dreams. Hiring a wedding planner will definitely ensure that everything runs smoothly not only on the wedding Day but also the lead up to the wedding. A weddingplanner becomes your best friend by saving your money and time and by eliminating stress on your big day. Planners are born organizers. As members of wedding groups who share information, they know the absolute best in the business and bring you everything you need as a one-stop- shop. Large number of Event management companies have also come up quickly sensing the demand for event planners in the state. The wedding planners are fully equipped to manage any gigantic functions with ease. From traditional Kerala wedding to destinations wedding, adventurous wedding the list goes on.

Weddings can be one of the most overwhelming events you will plan. Excitement quickly turns into great challenge that you just want to be over with. This is where a Wedding Planner comes to the scene. Wedding Planning is a fully flexible, all-inclusive service. The planners take care of everything onsite which simply leaves you to enjoy a fun, relaxed and enjoyable wedding day. A planner will save you stress during the planning process and especially on the actual day of your wedding. They'll also serve as your creative partner providing a wealth of ideas, insights, opinions, and more. Planners have a network of vendors and suppliers who they can call on to make your wedding day as perfect as you ever dreamed. Wedding planners in Kerala will make sure that you relax and enjoy your dream wedding day stress free without any hurry burry. Every penny you’ve spend for the big day will be worth with the wide range of wedding planning packages to suit your needs. So, If you’re planning a Wedding, don’t hesitate hire a wedding planner and see the magic. 

Samples for wedding invitations in Kerala

When it comes to wedding invitations, couples have a huge range of options and styles to choose from reflecting everything from budget conscious choices to gorgeous designs. The trends in wedding cards change every season and the wedding couples can also opt for a classic design if it suits their style. Invitation designs can be casual, elegant, traditional, modern, or even have cultural wedding invitations created to suite the theme of your wedding. The selection of wedding invitations is definitely among the most important ones. Even in the online world you can easily find hundreds of designs, colours, shapes, and sizes to choose from. All you have to do is to pick the right design for your wedding card. Selecting a type of wedding invitation depends on the kind of wedding you are going to have.

The different types of wedding invitations are as follows:

•    Contemporary wedding invites

The traditional wedding invitations are usually printed on white or ivory paper; whereas contemporary wedding invitations use different colors and designs. It is a great way to personalize your wedding invitations, but it cannot be used in formal weddings.

• Engraved wedding invites

The most formal type of wedding invitation in which the wordings of your invitation are carved on a copper plate. This plate is then inked and printed with the paper in the press. Since, the printing leaves letters raised on the paper it is called engraved invitations. The process is expensive and is only used for very formal luxury weddings.

• Offset printed wedding invites

This is the regular kind of printing that is usually used for business printing purposes. Such printed invitations are very affordable, but do not have a very graceful look when compared to other modern printing techniques.

•  Handwritten wedding invites

Invitations written by hand with great precision using calligraphy are becoming very popular nowadays. Handwritten wedding invitations might not be appropriate for all formal weddings, but are ideal for small or informal gatherings. 

• Thermo graphed wedding invites 

The Thermo graphed invitations are cost effective when compared to engraved wedding invitations where ink is mixed with small dry particles, which when printed will look much similar to the Engraved wedding invitations. This is a kind of printing that gives a similar effect to engraving, without any added expense.

Wedding cards in play a vital role in any Kerala wedding. A wedding card can be traditionally designed or have a contemporary design, attractive and colorful. There are a wide range of varieties and designs of wedding cards to choose from. Always choose a wedding card according to the theme of your wedding. Nowadays you can plan and celebrate your wedding effortlessly with beautiful online wedding invitations that are easy to customize, manage, and send. 

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Best location for destination wedding in Kerala?

Kerala offers the perfect location for your wedding in the lap of Mother Nature. Whether you’re planning an intimate wedding with limited number of guests or a luxurious Kerala style wedding with top class amenities and guests in gigantic numbers, there are a number of venues which you can look out for in our ‘God’s own country’. Destinationwedding is a developing concept and Kerala is a strong competitor to any International destinations. Well known for its most fascinating back waters, hill stations and cultural versatility the state holds much to see and experience for the destination wedding travelers from all parts of the country. Kerala is thus considered as the natural choice for destination wedding nowadays. Here are some of the favorite wedding locations in Kerala.

1.      Kochi Backwater Wedding

Blessed with beautiful backwater lines and unimaginable natural beauty Kerala offers the most thrilling ventures for backwater wedding. There are a number of backwater and beach resorts in Kerala that offers all arrangements for backwater weddings. Backwater Resorts in Kerala offer a variety of cultural experiences with modern day luxury. So, your guests can have a great time enjoying wedding and also spend some time touring around Kerala. The traditional wedding on a House boat ‘Kettuvallam’ is another highlight of backwater wedding in locations like Alleppey, Kovalam and Kochi.

2.      Hill station Wedding

One of the most amazing locations that you can choose for your wedding in Kerala would be Munnar Hillstation. Munnar has a very different peaceful and serene environment completely different from the city madness apt for an absolutely wonderful wedding experience. Located at the confluence of three rivers its elevation is about 1600 m above the sea level. Filled with rich greenery, charming towns and huge tea and spice plantations Munnar becomes one of the easily accessible hill stations in Kerala for your destination wedding. Get amazed by the luxury destination wedding in Munnar’s serene atmosphere.  

3.      Beach Wedding

Kerala offers some of the best venues where you can organize an intimate beach wedding. The state is blessed with a number of pristine beaches which are perfect venues for beach weddings. The open skies and the sound of waves in the backdrop set a perfect romantic wedding satire. Kovalam, Varkala, Allepey and Shankmuagam are some of the most popular Beach Wedding destinations in Kerala. Beach wedding in Kerala is fun with the beautiful costal scenes and the sparkling sunny sand lying on the seashores of Kerala. 
Destination Wedding is the latest trend which has evolved in the recent years. Kerala is the perfect location to host a destination wedding with naturally beautiful locations enriched by amazing beaches, hill stations and cultural heritages. You can plan a lot for your destination wedding in Kerala with exotic and breathtaking view of the backwaters, peaceful and serene hill stations, long stretch of white sand beaches and much more.  Get set to enjoy your big day in style by planning a destination wedding in the scenic beauty of the ‘God’s own country’.