Service:
The wedding service is conducted just like all the Christian church weddings in the western countries. The groom places the ‘Thali’ around the neck of the bride amidst the peals of the church bell.(The 'Thali' is a gold chain with a gold pendant in which the symbol of the cross is embedded. A woman wearing a Thali is a sign that she is a married woman.
Rings are exchanged in church.
Now, the groom and bride pledge the wedding vows holding the Holy Bible.
There will be a sari (Manthrakodi) which is blessed and is a gift from the groom to the bride signifying his responsibility to protect her from all harm. He declares this by placing the Manthrakodi over her head like a canopy.
A deviation from the western custom, is that the groom does NOT kiss the bride in church as kissing in public is sort of taboo in India! Finally, the church pastor pronounces them as man and wife!
There will be a Latin Mass following the Ceremony so the bride and groom can share the sacrament together as a married couple.
Next there is the usual wedding reception with the usual cutting of the wedding cake, proposing the toast to the bridal couple and typical western culture traditions. Since the Indian Christian weddings are a social event with a huge crowd, dancing and singing lasts for hours.
Rings are exchanged in church.
Now, the groom and bride pledge the wedding vows holding the Holy Bible.
There will be a sari (Manthrakodi) which is blessed and is a gift from the groom to the bride signifying his responsibility to protect her from all harm. He declares this by placing the Manthrakodi over her head like a canopy.
A deviation from the western custom, is that the groom does NOT kiss the bride in church as kissing in public is sort of taboo in India! Finally, the church pastor pronounces them as man and wife!
There will be a Latin Mass following the Ceremony so the bride and groom can share the sacrament together as a married couple.
Next there is the usual wedding reception with the usual cutting of the wedding cake, proposing the toast to the bridal couple and typical western culture traditions. Since the Indian Christian weddings are a social event with a huge crowd, dancing and singing lasts for hours.