Behind the Scenes of an Indian Wedding - The Bari

 

Growing up in South Africa means I am part of a community rich in various cultures and traditions, but I guess nothing beats the feeling of being immersed in one's own heritage. Weddings, for me, are a great reminder of my own roots. The vibrant and colourful traditions aimed at bringing family together, uniting us in celebration, has been passed on through the generations!

 

Weddings are not only a one day affair, but rather spans a whole week in the form of various traditions and festivities. The Bari is an evening aimed at beautifying and adorning the bride (kind of like an indian spa day) and preparing her for her groom. Henna patterns and Chiksa & haldi  are applied as it is believed to soften and brighten the brides skin (ie. olden version of a facial and body scrub! haha).

 

The grooms family bring along wedding gifts for the bride and obviously a lot of fun and laughter ensues (and some tears at the thought of the eventual departure of the bride) as the brides family do their best to entertain and impress their guests ;-). The all important latcha (a special black beaded necklace) gets given to the bride and signifies that she is a married woman!

 

For my sister, we hosted a small, intimate, ladies only function for close friends and family. Moon entertained us with  very emotional and touching vocals, while the young girls of the family showcased some vibrant Bollywood style dances! All in all it was a fun evening!

Here's some behind the scenes footage, a collection of photo's taken by various family members on their cameras and cell phones. (No...the wedding wasn't unplugged ;-) )

The Bride

Posing with the bride

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcoming the guests

 

 

Capturing some extra memories with sisters, kids and family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

  Keep a look out for a 'behind the scenes' of the wedding day :-)

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)