Gujarat, a state of rich culture, reflects Indian heritage beautifully because of its customs, rituals and traditions.

And when it comes to Gujarati weddings, Gujaratis celebrate all the rituals extravagantly.

In Gujarat, the rituals of a wedding symbolize many aspects of a married life. They serve as guidelines to the soon-to-be couple on how to lead a blissful married life.

Gujarati Matrimony:

Gujaratis, mainly, prefer making matches of their sons and daughters within their community. Just like other Indian communities, the parents of the girl start looking for a groom as soon as she grows up.

Costumes to be worn in a Gujarati wedding:

Bridal wear:

Saree is the most common bridal wear for the Gujarati brides. They wear saree in a very different style during the wedding occasion. Saree is mainly of red color as it is considered being the most auspicious colour for the occasion. Nowadays, designer lehengas are also popular.

Groom wear:

Usually, the Gujarati bridegrooms wear traditional Kurta and dhoti. These days, designer and formal suits or kurta pajamas have also become a popular choice.

Pre-wedding rituals:

Mandap Mahurat:

First and foremost, blessings are taken from Lord Ganesha, the Hindu God who is believed to remove all obstacles. This ritual is performed a few days before the wedding by the family of the bride and groom.

Griha Shanti:

It is one of the most significant rituals of a Gujarati wedding. In this ceremony, a puja or prayer is performed at the bride's as well as the groom's home. This takes place at an auspicious time after matching the horoscopes of the prospective bride and groom.

Jaan:

In this fun-filled custom, the groom arrives at the house of the bride to seek the blessings of his would-be mother-in-law. As a ritual, the groom is supposed to bow his head in front of her and clutch his nose. This gesture symbolizes his humility and understanding of the tremendous sacrifice that his future wife is about to make. The groom's soon-to-be mother-in-law blesses him and does a small act to ward off the evil eye.

Wedding rituals:

Kanya Daan:

The proceedings of a Gujarati wedding begin with the kanya daan where the parents of the bride give away her hand to the groom. They fold their hands in front of the groom, which reflects the hope that their son-in-law will take good care of their daughter without giving her any kind of pain.

Pheras:

In pheras, the couple goes around the sacred fire and the acharya recites the mantras. The groom repeats the mantras while expressing his heart's desire that seeks the love and support of his wife.

Saptapadi:

This indicates that the couple must take seven rounds of the holy fire. With each step, the groom keeps on chanting mantras. These symbolize groom’s requests to his wife to take good care of the house, cook healthy and nutritious meals for their family, be judicious with money, be an understanding and loving partner to him, etc. The bride promises to fulfill all these requests.

After that, both of them get tied in the most sanctified bond – marriage. Then, a few post-wedding rituals take place, which complete a beautiful Gujarati wedding.

Few useful links:

http://www.jeevansathi.com/

http://www.jeevansathi.com/matrimonials/gujarati-matrimonial/