Hindu marriages signify customs, rituals and elaborate celebrations.

A wedding is ne of the most important religious ceremony in the Hindu religion and significant of the sixteen Hindu sanskars.

Traditional Hindu wedding ceremonies mostly lasts for four to five days. And the function is divided into mainly three parts- pre wedding ceremony, main day ceremony and post wedding ceremony. Each day has its own significance and meaning.

The pre wedding celebrations mainly includes engagement, sangeet, mehendi, haldi and tilak. Each of the custom has an importance. Modern Hindu weddings are often much shorter and do not involve all of the rituals of the traditional ceremony. Instead certain ceremonies are picked by the families of the bride and the groom depending on their family tradition.

The main day function is the wedding day and the post day rituals include vidaai and reception. These are some of the important rituals and customs that sum up the Indian marriage ceremony also called shaadi or vivah.

Hindu weddings usually take place at bride's place or at a common place decided by the bride and groom's family. The marriage ceremonies take place at an open space under a decorated canopy usually called mandap. The main day of the wedding involves different traditional rituals. And each of the rituals has its own meaning and role. One of the most important ritual of Hindu wedding is the seven step or sapta padi taken together by the bride and the groom while the seven vows or promise led by a priest. They take the vows before god symbolized by fire and light. These seven promises taken together by the bride and groom build's the foundation of their relationship and marriage. It speaks of the loyalty, love, and commitment they will share in their married life.

Today the wedding ceremony is celebrated in an elaborate and lavish manner.Modern Hindu weddings are often much shorter but the actual essence and reason behind marriage function remains intact. Indian wedding is not only about establishing the bond between two people, but also the bond between two families. The bride and the groom are dressed in traditional Indian wear. Where the bride wears ethnic Indian sari and jewelry and the groom wears traditional sherwani and pagri or turban on his head. The wedding place or mandap is beautifully decorated where family members, relatives and friends gathers to enjoy dinning and lunch for four to five days of the wedding celebration.  This is what Hindu wedding is all about. Tradition, culture and enjoyment.