Nikita and Karthik are both Hindu but Karthik is South Indian and Nikita is Rajasthani. That means while their religion is the same, their ceremonies differ because the two states of India where they are from have very different customs surrounding the wedding rituals. We call these two styles, North and South Indian Hindu ceremonies.
South Indian ceremonies are often times held at the temple, and for the first Hindu ceremony Nikita and Karthik performed we went to the Livermore Hindu Temple. The ceremony is much longer than North Indian style Hindu weddings and guests are often invited to breakfast, tea, and lunch, all while the ceremony is still going on. During the ceremony, the bride leaves and changes into a nine-yard Saree and comes back to complete the rituals.
What is so great about South Indian style Hindu weddings is that they are very interactive. The bride and groom do a number of things together, and many rituals include family and friends. Finally, guests are invited to also participate in one way or another which is all very exciting for the guests who watch the lengthy ceremony.
The South Indian style wedding allowed the Groom’s family to celebrate and perform their customs and rituals. The next Hindu ceremony they held was down in Santa Barbara at the Fess Parker Resort! Stay tuned to see the continuation of their beautiful events in the next post!
