Planning of Our Indian Wedding - S4E1 Podcast

A new episode is here!

This time, we recorded with video instead of audio, and we must admit it was very intimidating, but we managed to do it!

What did we talk about? Our Hindu wedding. 

Watch it on YouTube:

Listen on Spotify:

We all have heard something about Indian weddings, which are known for their grandeur and diversity.

However, Indian wedding rituals and customs vary depending on the region and religion. In our particular case, living in Chennai, we discovered how South Indian weddings have their own unique set of customs and traditions.

Characteristics of South Indian Weddings

• Hindu weddings can last anywhere from 2 to 3 days.

• The marriage ceremony typically takes place in the morning.

• The reception can be held on the same day as the wedding or a separate day.

Day 1	Decoration of the house, turmeric function for groom and bride, henna tattoos.
Day 2	Reception where distant family members, relatives, and friends gather to wish the couple, take pictures, and give gifts.
Day 3	The official wedding ceremony takes place in the morning.

Planning our Indian Wedding

Planning our Indian wedding was rather challenging, especially for Luisa as a foreigner. Also, we decided to take an active role in the preparations; therefore, some of the aspects we had to deal with included:

• Financial planning: Indian weddings can be expensive and require a lot of planning. We created a budget that outlined all the expenses and we strictly sticked to it.

  
  

  Make an online research, ask friends and family who have recently gone through the marriage process and consult with experts. For us, it was essential to set very clear boundaries and a clear vision of the outcome we wanted.

  
  

  TIP:  Always include a separate amount for miscellaneous and unexpected expenses, as these can arise at any time in your Indian wedding.

• Logistical planning: Coordinating the wedding rituals, customs, and events can be complex and time-consuming if you don’t have a good guide. For us, it was Aswin’s parents who saved the game.

  
  

  Some of the tasks that they did to help us included the invitations design and distribution, researching the perfect venue (which included catering, decoration, make up and video/photography), the right attires, and much more! 

• Cultural differences: Understanding and navigating the cultural differences and expectations was a little harder than I imagined. Colombia and India are waayyy too different. Every culture has many unwritten rules that can be difficult to navigate without the help of family members.

  
  

  We learned that a successful wedding is not just about the ceremony but also about building and maintaining relationships with family members. That’s why we recommend this: 

  
  

  • Pick your battles: Knowing what to compromise on and what to stand firm on is vital! 

  • Sacrificing: Sometimes, we have to be willing to give up some of our expectations and desires to reach agreements. 

  • Visualize the main goal: Don’t get caught up with details. The main thing is working together to find a solution that works for everyone involved.

Finally, we managed to have a successful, happy wedding ritual. YAY! We think that the the key was finding a middle ground that worked for both, us and the family.

This required a lot of communication, compromise, and flexibility.

Key Takeaways

To have a positive outcome when planning a wedding, we made sure to:

• Choose wisely and not burn bridges with family members.

• Have clear intentions and goals.

• Set boundaries and stick to them.

• Be mindful and keep relationships with family members going.

• Prioritize and focus on what is truly important.