When it comes to weddings, tradition and sentiment are incredibly important. While you may want to celebrate your Indian heritage with a traditional Indian ceremony, your partner may not be Indian and have their own ideas about what they want from their wedding day. Elegantly combining and blending the two ceremonies is a beautiful way to mark the joining of your two families for a Blended Indian & Western Wedding.
While Indian and Western weddings are very different, there are plenty of ways to incorporate Western traditions and style into your Indian ceremony, ensuring that it represents both you and your partner.
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Determine what rituals matter most in a Blended Indian & Western Wedding
Talk to your partner about what parts of the wedding ceremony are most important to them. You may find that there are just a few things that really matter to both of you about your respective traditional ceremonies, making it much easier to combine the two. It may also help to talk to both sets of parents about what aspects of the wedding are most important to them, but don’t give outside opinions more weight than those of you and your partner.
Remind family and friends that this is your day
It’s perfectly understandable to ask for your parents’ opinions on what traditions you should and should not include in your wedding, but be sure to remind them that this is your wedding, not theirs, and you’re designing it to reflect your relationship with your partner. Make choices that are right for you, not for anyone else, and don’t worry if your parents aren’t thrilled with your decisions. They’ll come around on the day itself.
Pick the right venue for a Blended Indian & Western Wedding
If you want to get married in a house of worship, but you’re having a blended ceremony, that may not work for the venue. Consider choosing a ceremony site without religious associations or, if you do choose a house of worship, talk to them well ahead of time about what they do and don’t allow and any requirements they have for couples who marry there.
Consider splitting the ceremony in two
If your traditions feel too far apart to elegantly combine, take a cue from Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, who held both a traditional Indian ceremony and a Western ceremony for their nuptials. While you may not have a budget for two lavish weddings, an Indian ceremony followed by a simple Western vow exchange can be a great way to satisfy both families and represent both you and your partner fully.
Talk to family members about what to expect at a Blended Indian & Western Wedding
The last thing you want is your grandfather making things awkward during your wedding ceremony. Let both of your families know what to expect from the wedding: what the different traditions represent, how they will work, and what it’s appropriate—and not appropriate—to do, say, and wear. The more you tell family upfront, the less likely anyone is to feel uncomfortable or caught off-guard during the wedding.
Personalize your ceremony
Many officiants from different religions are open to conduct the wedding ceremony jointly, so don’t be afraid to ask two officiants to help you say “I do.” Whether you have one or two officiants, they can be a big help when it comes to blending the traditions of you and your partner. Just keep the length of the ceremony in mind and make sure it doesn’t run too long.
No matter how you want your wedding day to look and feel, it’s important to work with your partner to make both your visions a reality. With open discussion and understanding, you can design and plan a wedding that incorporates both your beliefs and traditions and, most importantly, celebrates the love you share!
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