Haldi, mehendi and sangeet have been enthusiastically borrowed by young couples to add colour, sangeet and fun to a relatively simple Malayali wedding.
Turmeric, Mehndi And concert It has been enthusiastically borrowed by young couples to add colour, music and fun to a relatively simple Malayali wedding.
A friend from Delhi once remarked, “But for” SadyaYour weddings are so simple. you don’t have Haldi, Mehndi, Sangeet… Marriage ends in a few minutes.” This is about years ago when she went to a Hindu wedding in Kerala.
Had she attended the Malayali wedding now, she would have changed her mind. Presently, weddings in Kerala have become vibrant, colorful events, replete with music and dance, all inspired by films as well as social media.
Turmeric At a Malayali wedding. photo credit: Viva Photography
However, unlike larger Bollywood-style weddings, these events have become more intimate together. “Families are cutting down on the number of guests and opting for celebrations such as Turmeric, Mehndi, And concert With family and friends,” says Pooja Jijo, CEO of Kochi-based Unicorn Weddings & Event Planners, especially after the pandemic, guests are usually limited to 100 or 150. She says the bride and groom’s families often rent a resort. Or homestays, where they do all the tasks together. “Sometimes we take care of everything from the selection of the venue to the decorations and the arrangement of the choreographer and photographer,” says Pooja.
Sineesh Gopal of Veva Photography says that many couples organize several functions for their friends, especially for guests from outside Kerala. Photographers are always in attendance, with couples emphasizing candid shots, studio sessions and outdoor shoots, with sets specially designed to be posted as Instagram reels.
Turmeric Ceremony at a Malayali Wedding | photo credit: Viva Photography
Thiruvalla-based Dr Anjana S Gokul married Dr Harishankar MS in August, and was involved in the wedding Turmeric And Mehndi Celebration. “I was planning a minimalist wedding. But I wanted my Kannada friends to enjoy the ceremony, as their weddings have a lot of events. They arranged everything for my . Turmeric And Mehndi, starting with the decorations. It was a new experience for everyone, and we had a great time.”
wedding package
Wedding festivities usually begin MehndiWhen the bride and other women of the family decorate their hands and feet with beautiful patterns in henna.
Feather Turmeric Ceremony, turmeric paste, sandalwood powder, mixed with milk or rose water is applied to the face, neck, hands and feet of the couple. It is believed that it brings good luck. Now is the time to start the party.
concert There’s an evening party complete with dancing, music and skits, with (or without) cocktails.
stating that Turmeric Celebrations at Kerala weddings are now popular across various religions, says Sophia Mathew, Director, Kochi-based Watermark Event Solutions, “It has now become a joyous affair, and a chance to have fun with friends, everyone covered in turmeric. It happened, and I am capturing those moments on camera.”
Revathi Ashok and her groom, Kiranddas VG, performing with their family members concert
, photo credit: special arrangement
Fatima Sherin from Thiruvananthapuram says: Turmeric The session was inspired by Bollywood. An assistant professor at an engineering college, she says: “It was arranged at my home, so I could spend it with the people who mean the most to me … it was so beautiful because we all They were wearing yellow clothes and the festivities were going on till late in the night.”
bespoke jewelery
Brides are very particular about costumes and jewelery for functions. Neeta Vijay Leri, a housewife-cum-entrepreneur from Thiruvananthapuram, has been selling customized jewelery for these functions under her online brand, Nilabees, for over a year now. “They’re made of foam flowers. We have chokers, long chains, earrings, maang tikka (jewelry worn on the forehead), nose ring, tiara, bracelet, bracelet connecting chain with rings, hip chain, anklet, headband etc,” says Neeta. Rates start from ₹700-800 for a set of choker, earrings and maang tikka,
wearing a bride Turmeric Exclusive jewelery made by Neeta Vijay Leri. photo credit: special arrangement
Choreographers are arranged to set the dance routine and teach the dancers, which usually include the bride and groom as well as the elders and children of the family. “Some families have theme-based functions. While Bollywood style is common, we have done routines with western dance forms as well,” says state award winning choreographer Sajna Najam.
Her dancers often perform in these pre-wedding programs. She adds that couples are sometimes asked to recreate iconic wedding scenes from movies: Who am I to you. Sajna further says that she had organized a Turmeric Ceremony for his daughter’s wedding in 2015.
Thiruvananthapuram-based Neeta Vijay Leri sells customized turmeric and mehndi jewelery through her online brand, Nilabees. photo credit: special arrangement
Revathi Ashok of Alappuzha joined them Mehndi with concert and cocktail party For her wedding in May this year. “I was specific about the songs and we had choreographers. Our team of 50 competed against the groom’s party; He had more actors and won it too,” says Revathi, an audiologist and speech-language pathologist.
Nilabi Haldi & Mehndi Jewelery by Neeta Vijay Leary | photo credit: special arrangement
She adds, “Some of my relatives, in their 70s, started their dance classes a month before the wedding and would often meet once a week for rehearsals. I wanted to go back to the time when all the relatives got married. On the eve of the wedding, the bride’s house would gather and be a part of the festivities.