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Wedding Nikah

Also known as Nikaah, the Muslim ceremony is often celebrated with the signature splendour which is customary for Indo-Asian weddings. Witnesses and religious counselors are invited from both parties Bride and the Groom to complete this event.The wedding ceremony or Nikaah often takes place in a banqueting hall with close friends and family to witness the event. During this ceremony, a legal contract known as Nikaahnama is signed by the bride, groom and key people.

Wedding Mehendi

The celebrations often start with the Mehndi ceremony, where the bride to be has henna put on her hands and feet is a decorative pattern. The guests are all close female friends and relatives. The celebrations usually carry into the night with songs and dances performed by guests.

Wedding Baraat

he actual wedding starts with the musical ceremony known as the Baraat to announce the arrival of the groom.The newly weds get their first chance to sit together during the Prayers and Aarsimashaf. Their heads are covered with a nuptial duputta and prayers are read. During this ritual, a copy of the Quran is placed between the bride and groom and the couple are only allowed to look at each other through mirrors.

Wedding Pranks

It is common practice for girls on the brides side to play pranks on the grooms side during parts of the ceremony.

Wedding Rukhsati

The event of Bride leaving the marriage place usually a banquet or a hall with her husband is called rukhsati.The wedding ceremony ends tearfully with the bride leaving her parental house with her husband in a tradition known as Rukshat. The bride is then welcomed into the groom's parental home by her mother in-law who holds the Quran over her head as she enters the threshold.

Wedding Valima

The Valimah is a welcoming party thrown by the groom's side. Intended as a gesture to welcome the bride into the family.

For most people a wedding is the celebration of a man and woman joining together in holy matrimony. That is, unless you happen to be a Delhiite or more specifically a good 'Dilli Ki Aunty', in which case a wedding is the event of a lifetime! The success of the wedding is measured, not by the long happy married life that the bride and groom share, but by the amount of money that their parents shell out to prove their worth - which is primarily done through decorations and clothing.

Wedding dresses are much regionalized and each state and a district within have its own specialty when it comes to the dressing style. From the Coorgi half-saris to the expensively embroidered clothing of the Lucknowis, India has its own flavour of clothing in each place. The Bride and the Bridegroom start their wedding shopping at least 2 months in advance so as to get the perfect choice and of course, fit. Tailors are still preferred to ready-made clothing even today. To capitalize on this market, special "Wedding Malls" have opened up in every major city which acts as a one-stop station for all kinds of dresses. In today's contemporary weddings, one finds regional attires only on the main marriage day; while rest of the days see designer fit attires. Special "Marriage Collections" are all out there to exploit the market - not only for the bride and the groom, but also for the attenders.

It is an affair so extravagant that guests are probably more conscious about their dressing and find marriages a platform to showboat their complex dressing sense. And hence, the entire wedding ground is transformed into a set straight out of the movies. One can see miles of fabric flowing across the entire area (all 3 acres of it), and the lights lending the whole place a fantastical air. But what really makes these weddings the shiniest, glitziest, sparkling affairs of the season is not the decor but the dresses donned by the guests. A good 'Dilli ki Aunty' never disappoints when it comes to the art of dressing up for a wedding.

Wedding season is very stressful for the tailors in Delhi, because every 'Aunty' worth her salt is out to get the trendiest wedding attire of the season. Size and age is never a barrier, what is in vogue must be worn by one and all. So what if the elegant Anarkali is meant for the thin and tall, our rotund 'Aunties' are never going to be left behind. While the slim look elegant in their yards of flowy fabric, the aunties do their best to look like miniature circus tents. They even like accentuating the air of festivity by choosing bright clashing colours. Their Kurtas are covered in Swarovski, and rhinestones. Their blouses are barely there pieces of fabric that stay on by sheer force of will. The sarees are made of the sheerest of fabrics, and mind you most weddings happen during peak winter! Imagine battling freezing temperatures draped in nothing more than 9 yards of the thinnest chiffon known to mankind.

As said, weddings are about food and clothing - neither can fall short for either to survive.

The father daughter bridal dance is maybe one of the most sentimental and moving moments of the entire wedding day. There's typically not a dry eye in the room after the father of the bride dances with the beloved daughter he just gave away after walking her down the aisle. Selecting just the correct father daughter weddings songs is such a crucial part of planning the wedding as this can be the best way for the bride to honor the first most significant man in her life.

Here are the five most well-known father daughter wedding songs of all time, spanning several different genres of music and generations and suitable for all types of wedding receptions.

5. Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof: This long time favorite from the Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack was performed at wedding receptions for numerous years, and with its slow yet graceful pace it is perfect for a dance. Sunrise Sunset has been a treasured wedding song for several generations since its words tell of the inevitable passage of time tied together with the just right mix of bliss and tears.

4. Through the Years by Kenny Rogers: A moving and timeless song of love with wonderful words and a slow, easy beat for dancing to, this is one of the most famous father daughter wedding songs of all. With a light country sound it appeals to a wide audience and will surely make for a unforgettable moment on the dance floor.

3. Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder: The cheerful yet moving song by Stevie Wonder Isn't She Lovely is a excellent dancing song if you're looking for something a bit groovier than the normal father daughter wedding songs. Written to celebrate the birth of his daughter, the song opens with the sounds of a newborn crying then with laughter throughout as father and daughter play. A poignant, heartfelt song considering Wonder has never had the chance to see his daughter due to his blindness.

2. Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle: Another of the most well-known-popular father daughter wedding songs of all time is Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle. If you're searching for a title full of great emotion along with beautiful yet simple lyrics, this may be the one for you. The speed is easy to dance to, but be ready for plenty of tears and emotions as this moving song chronicles a father's love for his daughter from birth up until the time he had to give her away on her wedding day.

1. Daddy's Little Girl by Al Martino: With lyrics like, "You're the end of the rainbow, you're my pot of gold, you're daddy's little girl," this song first made known by Al Martino is short and gentle, ideal for keeping an emotional dance from being too lengthy. If you aren't crazy about the original version, the song has been remade by several different musicians in a wide variety of music styles.

Whatever father daughter wedding songs you eventually decide upon, both you and your father and also all of your guests will be sure to treasure this special moment for limitless years in the future.

The question is often asked by couples when choosing wedding favors, "what kind of quote or saying should we attach to the favor?"

With so many themed favors to choose from today the sweet sayings with a built-in symbolism are being used more and more. For example, by now you've definitely heard about and maybe have even seen the popular wedding favor "Perfect Pear," the favors are either two pear-shaped candles or two silver pear-shaped salt and pepper shakers.

If you want to avoid using a wedding favor every other couple is using then you may want to consider expanding on the popular ones to come up with your own creation.Instead of pear-shaped favors think of other things that usually come in pairs.Monogrammed pillowcases can be given as gifts with a sweet note such as: "Meant to be Together Forever" or you can take a set of salt and pepper shakers and paint a picture of a thong on each one. There you have the "perfect pair." This idea works great for a beach- themed wedding.

For heart shaped tins, candies, or other heart-shaped sentiments you can add the personal note: "Our Heart-Felt Thanks for Sharing our Special Day with Us" or "Thank You From The Bottom of our Hearts," "A Hearty Thank You to All Who Shared This Day."

Another idea might be to get small bottles of wedding bubbles and attach a Hershey Rosebud favor with a tag that says, "Blowing Kisses."

With any kind of a candle favor you might say, "The Light of our Love will Always Burn Bright" or "Our Love Shines Like an Eternal Flame."

If you are doing sweet edibles as a wedding favor which can include any type of your favorite candies or chocolates, you might say," When These Treats You Eat, Remember Our Love So Sweet" or "The True Flavor of our Love."

For a spring or summer garden wedding you can do monogrammed gloves with a note that says, "The Perfect Fit" or customized flower seed packs with a note saying, "Plant These Seeds and Watch Our Love Blossom and Grow" "Love In Bloom" or " Help us Plant These Seeds of Love" Your guests will reminisce about your wedding day whenever they don their gloves to tend their flower garden.

Following are a few more examples of sayings that can be attached to wedding favors:

Help our love grow together (use with plants or flowers)

Our love grows on (use with plants or flowers)

Celebrate our blossoming love (for flowers or Hershey rosebuds)

Our love is a perfect blend (for teas and coffee, cocoa)

The sweet fragrance of love (for soaps, potpourri)

The flame of our love will always burn bright (for candles)

A cupful of kisses (for Hershey kisses in a cup)

Perfect harmony (for music cd favors)

A Match made in heaven (for personalized matchbook favors)

These are just a few ideas to help you get started. Try to come up with some of your own sweet words. Close your eyes and imagine what you want your wedding day to look like, feel like, and sound like. Think about the love of your life and all of those who will come and celebrate with you. Now start writing down some phrases that come to mind. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you come up with on your own.

Orange is one of the signature colors of the fall season. The rich, fiery hue makes an excellent choice for the wedding flowers, and combines beautifully with many other seasonal colors, such as brown, golden yellow, and russet red. These are some ideas for gorgeous orange bouquets for autumn weddings.

There are certain flowers which simply say "fall is here!". Among them are mums, asters, and zinnias. For a magnificent burst of color, use brilliant zinnias in vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow - all one single blossom! They combine marvelously with mums in rusty orange hues, both the pom-pom and daisy varieties of mums. If you wish to break up the intense colors just a touch, add in some stems of white asters. The finished bouquets will have captured the essence of fall, and would be perfect for a rustic barn wedding. Tie them with raffia ribbon for a natural effect. They would look fantastic with textured bridesmaid dresses, such as a straw colored shantung or mocha dupioni. Add bridesmaid jewelry gifts in bronze crystals or pearls to complete the look.

Autumn bouquets can also be very sophisticated. Rich shades of orange orchids would be striking for an upscale fall celebration. From the subtle tint of orange dendrobium orchids to the vibrance of mokara orchids to exotic cattleyas, there are a huge number or varieties which are available in shades of orange. Shades of cream combine beautifully with creamsicle tinted orchids. Accents of light green would be a nice contrast to the warm orange tones. A dramatic cascade of orchids blossoms would be stunning for a black tie wedding, while a smaller clutch of blooms would be chic and sophisticated. Imagine how striking the bride and her attendants would look carrying these impressive bouquets! They would be an excellent choice with fashion forward dresses; custom bridesmaid jewelry would be great gifts to round out the ensembles.

If you are a traditionalist, consider timeless bouquets of roses in hues such as coral, vivid orange, or rust. Orange roses symbolize passion and enthusiasm, which makes them a fantastic wedding flower. Roses always look elegant when arranged in the traditional round nosegay shape. This classic style of bouquet is equally appropriate for day or evening weddings, which makes it as versatile as it is beautiful. Accents such as russet red hypericum berries or clear crystals are a nice touch when you want to layer in another element with the roses.

A very sophisticated blossom for an orange wedding bouquet is the mini calla lily. They come in stunning shades like mango, copper, apricot, brick, and a rich glowing orange. Many of the varieties are variegated, with several shades on each individual blossom. Bundle a round bouquet of mini calla lilies for bridal flowers which are simple in form, yet ultra-stylish. The mini calla lilies can also be used to create dramatic mixed bouquets with accent colors such as golden yellow and a deep, deep burgundy. Add seasonal extras such as hanging Chinese lantern pods to create unforgettable bouquets for your autumn wedding.

The calla lily, also known as the arum lily, is one of the most popular wedding flowers and has been since ancient times. Once only available in white, the calla lily wedding bouquet became a classic, white flowers with bright yellow centers brought color to an otherwise all white wedding look. As time passed smaller versions of these classic flowers appeared and the price dropped, making calla lilies even more desirable. Their popularity surged, with only one problem remaining, how to avoid one calla lily bouquet looking much the same as any other. Here are four ways you can make your calla bouquet stand out from the rest.

Go for color. Calla lilies are now available in a variety of colors, from white to pink, yellow, orange, flame, yellow, red, burgundy, lilac, purple and a shade that is very close to black. Burgundy, purple and almost black are excellent choices for the gothic bride, add feathers for a change of texture or some more unusual plants, we've even seen silk calla lilies with artificial pitcher plants. And if you can't find the color you want? Spray white callas any color you like!

Forget Hand-tied Bouquets. Cascade bouquets are back 'in' so forget those hand-tieds and go for something more interesting. Worried about the cost? Cascade bouquets usually use fewer flowers than a substantial hand tied bouquet, and with some practice you can still DIY if you want to get. Buy some cheap silk flowers and have a go. If you think a cascade bouquet is beyond you, full size calla lilies are ideal for wand style bouquets. Gather three or four together, just below their heads, add some foliage and add some stalks of lavender for added scent.

Use Unusual Mixers. Calla lilies have a distinct texture with their smooth sides and even color. Many brides carry hand tied bouquets of mini callas alone, but you can create a far more striking bouquet by teaming calla lilies with an unusual, more 'feathery' texture. Seeded eucalyptus is available in many colors and looks wonderful in gold, ideal for a fall bride. Feathered celosia is another excellent accent for a lily bouquet, and while the all white look is a bridal classic, adding green to the bouquet just seems to accent the white, add celosia in apple green, or trails of ivy for a 'back to nature' look.

Hard Edge. Another way to make your wedding bouquet look different is to use a bouquet collar. In the past these were usually frilled and make of lace or tulle, designed to provide a backing for a delicate posy. The latest bouquets collars are rather different. Metallic wires make an interesting accent, gold, silver and copper collars are available trimmed withe pearls, but you can also find more vibrant colors such as green, rose, brown, black, strong pink and turquoise. The collars are not expensive and will add an unusual metal accent which you can echo in your centerpieces; add a collar to a vase, use flat wire shaped in spirals as an accent (ideal for monochromatic color themes) or add beaded wire to the vase or stems in your centerpiece arrangements.

Calla lilies are beautiful flowers and there are many, many ways to use them to create elegant, unique bouquets and centerpieces for your wedding.