Your First Asian Wedding

Opening the post to find an invitation to a friend or family member’s wedding always brings a little excitement to your morning routine (or at the very least a welcome change to the endless bills and unwanted catalogues). It brings a date for your diary; something to look forward to; something for which you can plan. Your outfit…your gift…your opinion of the Mother of the Bride’s dress… But if the wedding invitation is from a couple from a different culture, the planning for – and expectations of – the day can be a little more tricky than your average white dress – church – knees-up British affair.

Weddings of a different culture can seem intimidating when you are unaware of the traditions and norms, but with a little insider know-how you will feel more prepared for what you are to attend, and less perplexed when the nuptials begin.

What To Expect At An Asian Wedding

In many traditional Asian weddings the bride is often dressed – not in white – in bright, vibrant colours, most notably red. This can be for different reasons depending on the family’s origins and beliefs. In Indian weddings of Hindu and Muslim couples, the bride will never wear white because of its symbolism of widowhood in Indian culture. In China, the bride will often be dressed in red, too, but this time as it is viewed as a very lucky colour within the culture, symbolising love, prosperity and happiness.

Notable Difference At An Asian Wedding

Another notable difference between many Asian weddings to those of traditional British couples is the amount and style of the decoration, whether that be the venue, the clothing or the Bride and Groom themselves. For an outsider who has not experienced this kind of celebration before, the unfaltering beauty and intricacy of adornment is a truly breathtaking spectacle, often symbolic of wealth and good fortune. Colours, flowers, jewels, gold: everywhere you look is a feast for your eyes.

The use of henna on the Bride and her female friends and family is common in Indian weddings, with the application itself forming part of the ceremonial proceedings. Not only is it a continuation of the abundance of red throughout the celebrations (drying to a burgundy / orange colour), it brings together the girls and women, and leaves the bride with a good omen.

Asian Weddings Can Last Several Days

The length of celebrations is also something to watch out for if invited to an Asian wedding for the first time. Often held over a number of days, which can be scattered over weekends throughout the month, Pakistani weddings tend to be marked by four separate ceremonies, each held on a different day. First is the Mehndi (pre-wedding family celebration), then the Baraat (large feast hosted by the Bride’s family), the Nikah (the holy ceremony), and finally the Walima (another large feast this time hosted by the Groom’s family). You may be invited to all four, a selection, or just one of the events, depending on your relationship to the couple and which side of the couple to whom you are closer.

With a little background on the look, feel, length and traditions of an Asian wedding you can attend your first with confidence and excitement, and really appreciate every aspect of what makes these ceremonies so enchantingly different to the traditional British marriage celebrations.

Asian Weddings At Dallas Burston Polo Club

At Dallas Burston Polo Club we really understand the importance of your day, and it is for that reason we have received the MAWA (Midlands Asian Wedding Award).  But don’t take our word for it, see below feedback from our happy couples…

“WOW! Thanks so much for all your help, the day was perfect! I know you went above and beyond to make sure things ran smoothly. I’ve seen a quick preview of the wedding photography and it looks amazing!”

“Thank you so much for making our wedding day celebrations at the Polo Ground so brilliant. We loved loved loved every minute and the whole thing was seamless from start to finish.  Special thanks to you and Jane for coordinating it so well.”

“We cannot thank the polo ground enough for all of their hard work before, during and after our beautiful wedding day. The venue was simply stunning, we didn’t need any decorations to make the room look lovely. The light was perfect, the amount of room was perfect, the way it was separated was perfect, the layout was perfect.  Thank you all so much, you made our day a very good one to remember!!”

Contact us today to find out more Tel: 018926811111