Our Hindu Wedding: The Big Day Part 2

by Shalveena Rohde,

In the Hindu wedding, the groom and his guests arrive at the bride's house (or the hall) for the wedding. Max and his family were to arrive at around 6.30 PM. Around 3 PM, I started getting ready for the wedding. I had a lady come over to the house to do my makeup and hair and another lady came over to do Sharlene's hair and Mum's makeup.

It was so exciting! The whole house was buzzing, with relatives downstairs, guests arriving slowly and it was our big day!! Excites! We put up a ribbon at the end of the stairs leading upstairs, to stop guests from coming up and seeing the work in progress haha.

I got dressed upstairs, where the air-conditioner was on to make sure the makeup didn't run (it was around 40 degrees weather!). The lady arrived with a couple of heavy bags (boxes more like it), filled with all shades of makeup, hair styling products, straightener, and pins galore. Jija also arrived early for photographs and so it started.

Sharlene and Mum got ready in Sharlene's room while I had my hair and makeup done in the upstairs area outside the bedrooms

 

 

 

 

 

The jewellery and especially the wedding ghagra was so heavy, I had to have a million pins to hold it up!

 

 

I was worried that the makeup will make me look pasty or white, but it didn't look that way thankfully. The lady was fast and finished well before time too.

 

 

Expertly putting the 100th pin in my hair to hold up the bun and the dupatta that will go on top of my head

 

 

 

Afterwards, I couldn't reach down to do my shoes so mum had to tie it for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After all this, I was ready to go downstairs and start the ceremony!! But the baraat was not here yet....

So I stayed in the room and waited some more. My friends came up and we took some photos then guests started coming upstairs (the ribbon to stop them did not entirely work haha)...so I tried to stay out of view most of the time, so as not to ruin the surprise hehehe.

Then came the sound of car horns tooting and I could hear people saying baraat is here! Yes!

The early guests

 

Lovely ladies (and girls) - it was too hot for the guests to go outside so they all waited inside for the Baraat to arrive

 

....well but the men didn't have that option. They stayed outside

 

My dad and more guests

 

 

Here comes the Groom's family. Manni :)
... and the Groom himself! He had such a huge smile throughout! :) :)

 

My dad greeting and welcoming Manni

 

And welcoming and greeting Torsten

 

 

 

 

Here they come

 

First off, Max gets a special seat and welcome ceremony from the woman from the Bride's side
He also got money from the women!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: journal