In a wedding, bride and groom are the holders of maximum attention. There is not even a single person in the guests list who doesn’t look at them. Thus, it is very necessary for both of them to look their very best, on the D-day. In comparison to the bride, a groom has lesser options for adorning himself. However, he is not completely devoid of them altogether. One of the main adornments for the groom comprises of the accessories. He can enhance his overall look to a great extent, by choosing the right accessories. In case you are going to become a groom very soon in the future and are looking for some help in relation to wedding accessories, the following tips will surely prove useful.

Wedding Accessories For Groom

Jewelry
When talking about wedding jewelry, most of the people think of it in terms of the bride. However, in India, the grooms also wear jewelry. It usually comprises of a Kantha, which can be described as a long necklace that is made of beads and white pearls. Apart from that, he may wear a gold chain, adorned with a pendant (of gold, diamond or precious stones) and even a pearl string. Other jewelry options for the Indian groom include gold rings and bracelets.

Shoes
Shoes can completely make or mar the overall look of a person and the same rule applies in case of the groom as well. The type of shoes he has to buy will depend upon the type of outfit he will be wearing at the wedding. In case of Indian outfits, like sherwani, achkan or kurta-pajama, a Punjabi jutti, mojri or kolhapuri chappal, adorned with embellishments, will work the best. With suits, formal shoes, in black or brown, will be the perfect option.

Pagri
In an Indian wedding, pagri comprises of one of the most important accessories for the groom. Traditionally, pink has been the color of the groom’s pagri, with cotton being the fabric used. However, the changing times have brought about changes in the pagri as well. These days, grooms go for red-colored pagris as well, in different patterns, like leheriyas, tie dyes, or self woven brocades. Chunri, zari and gharchola are some of the fabrics used for pagri.

Other Accessories
Cufflinks comprises of the most common accessories worn by the groom, whether he is wearing a sherwani, achkan or western suit. Majority of the Indian weddings also have the groom wearing a sehra, a kind of veil, which is tied to his pagri. Along with that, watch is also an accessory that is opted for, by almost all the grooms. In case the groom is wearing a western suit, he can always go for accessories like tie pins and brooches.

Some General Tips

1. A wedding is central to the bride and the groom. It is one of the most important days of their life and they should try to make it as personalized as possible. In case you are the groom, make sure that the accessories that you choose reflect your overall personality.
2. Comfort is a very important consideration, which needs to be kept in mind, while choosing the accessories. For instance, you might want to wear mojris with your wedding achkan. However, if you do not feel comfortable in them, there is no point in wasting money on the same.
3. The overall theme of your wedding will also have a bearing on the accessories that you buy. In case you fail to do this, you might up looking as the odd person out. Believe us, this is something that you would not want to take place, especially if it is your own wedding.
4. One of the main tips that you need to keep in mind, while buying accessories for the wedding day, is that they should complement your overall outfit. Now, wearing Punjabi jutti with a western suit is something that would make you look weird, rather than impressive.

Hindu Marriage Ceremony
Talking about the varied customs and rituals followed, Hindu weddings extend up to four to five days. The ceremonies practiced are essentially divided into three parts – pre wedding customs, wedding day ceremony and post weddingrituals. The rituals and customs performed in each of the three phases have a deep significance and meaning. The pre wedding celebrations mainly includes engagement, sangeet, mehendi, haldi and tilak. Coming to the wedding day ceremonies, it involves different traditional rituals, each having its own meaning and role. One of the most important rituals of Hindu wedding is the seven rounds or sapta padi taken together, around the sacred fire, by the bride and the groom, while the seven vows or promise are read by the priest or purohit.

The bride and the bride groom 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 would eventually share in their married life. Thereafter, post wedding ceremonies are performed, which mostly include vidaai and reception. This is the most emotional moment of the wedding, when the bride takes leave from her parents and other family members and takes her first step towards her new life in her husband’s house. On reaching the new home, there are a number of ceremonies that are performed, right from welcoming the new bride to playing games and making merry.

Hindu Marriage Rituals
According to Hindu Sastra there are four stages of life, of which Grahastha Ashram or married life signifies the second stage. It begins, when a man and a woman come together and marry. In India, marriage is treated as an institution, which teaches the actual values of life.

Mangalsutra Significance
A Hindu marriage symbolizes not just coming together of two individuals, but also the bonding of understanding, commitment, mutual love, oneness and spiritual growth. Traditionally, Hindu marriage is much more than just celebration and fun. It demands sacrifice, companionship, dedication, and devotion from both the partners.

Solah Shringar
For an Indian bride, the wedding day is the most important day of her life. Most of the girls in our country have lots of dreams for this day, since it marks the beginning of their journey into womanhood. Different kinds of beauty rituals are associated with the wedding day, as her female friends and relatives gather together to prepare her for the most special occasion of her life.

Earlier main wedding function use to take place on a mandap, which is normally decorated with flowers. Today modern Indian wedding decoration is a mixture of Indian ethnicity, richness and Western culture and custom. Mostly today’s Indian wedding decorations are theme based, as people mainly don’t have the time or resources. The mandap is decorated with red color cloth because red is considered auspicious for the wedding occasion. Hire a henna artist a day or two before wedding to entertain out of town guests and get them in the mood of the wedding. Flowers have always been a part of Indian wedding decorations. So there is an extensive use of flowers of different kinds like roses, jasmine, and many more. Decorative tents or “shamianas” are often rented for Indian weddings celebrations. Different pattern of tents are available like bandhani print, Gujarati work and ethnic mirror work and satin cloth depending on the budget and theme of the wedding. And if your wedding is an outdoor one than shamianas are a wonderful idea. The full wedding place is decorated with elaborate carpets to line the tent. Gold and red are the colors associated with Indian wedding decoration so most of the Decor is of these two colors. The tents are lighted with Indian inspired lanterns and candles. Exotic incense stick is burn in the room to create a refreshing and pure atmosphere. In true sense the Indian wedding decoration is an amalgamation of Indian culture, tradition and custom and encompasses all the senses, which makes it an occasion to remember for lifetime.

Engagement Decor Tips
Engagement is an important ceremony, as it marks the beginning of the relationship not only between two individuals, but also between also two families. Different kinds of decorations can be seen in different parties, depending on the budget and the chosen theme. However, flowers and artifacts find a special place among the decorations used for the engagement parties, irrespective of the theme.

Mandap Decor Tips
Traditionally, Hindu weddings are solemnized at a well decorated mandap – a four-pole canopy erected at the center of the stage. Although the Decor of the mandap varies from region to region across India, the basic concept remains the same – to bless the bride and the groom, who tie the wedding knot. Mandap is erected at the wedding venue, primarily to conduct rituals like tying the mangalsutra, pheras and exchange of garlands (jaimala).

Mehendi Decor Tips
Mehendi is one of the important pre-wedding rituals followed in many parts of India. It holds significance, primarily in the northern parts of the country, where henna is considered auspicious for festive occasions. While mehendi is an indispensable part of the pre-marriage celebrations of Hindu and Muslim weddings, people following other religions have also adopted it, with the changing times.

Sangeet Decor Tips
Predominantly a ladies-only affair, sangeet is an important pre-wedding ceremony observed in different parts of north India. It is a fun occasion, wherein the close female relatives of the bride and the groom gather at their respective places, to celebrate it. The conventional way of celebrating lady sangeet is to sing traditional songs related to the auspicious occasion of marriage.

Wedding Kalash And Thali Decor Tips
The ceremonies and rituals performed in Indian weddings have certain social significance. The rituals that are performed before, during and after the wedding symbolize the physical, spiritual and mental unison of the couple, who has tied the wedding knot, as well as the special bond between the families of the two. To indicate the union, certain things are used as ‘symbols’ of shagun for the ceremony.

Tilak Decor Tips
Centered on the groom, tilak is a pre wedding ceremony and signifies that the prospective groom is affirmed by the father of the to-be bride, for his daughter. Mainly held at the groom’s residence, the members from the bride’s side bring gifts for the groom and his family in the form of fruits, sweets and clothing. Traditionally, the bride and her mother do not attend this ceremony. Mostly, it’s the male family members and relatives of the bride, who attend the function.

A Punjabi wedding ceremony begins with Roka which is very much like an engagement ceremony where both the family for the first time formally announces the prospective marriage. The Roka is then followed by celebrations like ‘Sagan’ and ‘Chunni Chadana’ performed at the groom’s and bride’s family respectively. The joy of a Punjabi wedding begins with the Sangeet and Mehndi ceremony from where the real fun and frolic starts. Bhangras and Giddas make a Punjabi wedding more colorful. Like other Hindu weddings phere and kanyadaan are important rituals of a Punjabi Wedding. A Punjabi Wedding ceremony solemnizes with Mangal Pheras and the bride is departed to her in laws home that very day.

Pre Wedding Punjabi Ritual
Punjabi marriage traditions are very elaborate and ritualistic. They begin days before the actual wedding day in the form of pre-wedding ceremonies. Roka is the first pre-wedding ceremony where the two families formally meet to finalize the relationship between the two families. Roka is then followed by a series of colorful and interesting occasions like ‘Sagan and Chunni Chadhana’.

Punjabi Wedding Rituals
Punjabi Wedding ceremony is an interesting ceremony full of several rituals and customs. The wedding preparations start day before the actual wedding ceremony. Overall, a Punjabi wedding is very vibrant and colorful. The wedding ceremony starts from the Chuda ceremony and at the groom’s place with Vatna ceremony.

Post-Wedding Punjabi Rituals
Punjabis love celebrations. Their marriage ceremonies are thus extremely grand and elaborate. Even after few days of marriage, the celebrations at the groom’s and bride’s places are on. The post wedding celebrations start right after the solemnization of marriage at the Mandap. Preparations for Vidaai and Ashwirwad ceremony go hand in hand. Once the couple is blessed by all the elderly people at home, the brother of the bride accompanies the couple for Vidaai to the main exit of their home.

Choosing Indian Bridal Accessories

Jewelry
Jewelry forms the most important aspect of Indian bridal accessories. You need to make sure that it goes with the color as well as the type of your dress – lehenga or sari. For instance, if you have silver embroidery on your sari, wearing yellow-gold based jewelry will make you look really odd. Rather, you need to go for something in white gold, platinum or even silver. If you cannot afford to buy matching jewelry, the option of hiring is always available.

Shoes
Yet another accessory that needs a lot of attention on your part comprises of the shoes. They can make or mar your overall look completely. So, select them with due consideration, keeping in mind the color as well as style of your outfit. At the same time, remember, you will be standing for a long duration of time, in the wedding. So, comfort is one aspect that you cannot simply afford to overlook, while buying shoes for the wedding day.

Bag
After jewelry and shoes, comes the handbag that you will be carrying. Please do not carry a plain-looking bag and end up spoiling the whole look. In an Indian wedding, the outfit of the bride is very rich, in terms of color, fabric as well as embroidery. So, you need to buy a bag that goes with the overall look of opulence. If you do not like being too glitzy or carrying a colorful bag, opting for one in silver, golden or copper will be a good option.

Hair Accessories
One of the main hair accessories that Indian brides go for comprises of flowers. In fact, in many of the cultures, adorning hair with flowers is a compulsion for the bride. Apart from that, you can go for other accessories as well, such as pins with little roses made on them or with a glitzy ball as the head. It will surely help add to the overall bridal look.

Some General Tips

1. One of the most important tips that you need to keep in mind, while selecting the bridal accessories, is that it should go with your overall personality. Remember that this is most special day of your life and you need to make it as personalized as possible.
2. In case you have opted for a theme wedding, the accessories will need to be selected accordingly. Not doing the same will make you look out of place. And we are sure that you would not want that to happen, at least on your own wedding day.
3. The bridal accessories that you go for should complement your outfit and add to the overall look that you want to create. It is always advisable to go for colors similar to the wedding dress, so that the accessories do not end up catching all the attention.
4. Last, but not the least, you need to keep your comfort in mind. Indian wedding is a lengthy affair and unless and until you feel comfortable, you will not be able to enjoy it. So, make sure that you do not end up compromising comfort, in favor of style.

People following Hinduism believe that if a married couplewalks seven steps around the fire of the havankund, they will remain together for the lifetime. Generally, before taking the seven vows, the bride is seated to the right hand side of the groom. After taking the pheras, the bride shifts to the left side of the groom – this symbolizes that she is now closer to his heart. In most of the Hindu weddings, the newly married couple takes seven pheras, with the exception of Gujaratisand Sindhis, who take four pheras around the sacred fire. In the majority of the seven pheras, the groom leads the first four pheras, while he is preceded by the bride during the last three pheras. Given below are the meanings of the seven vows of marriage.

Seven Vows In Hindu Wedding

1. The bride and the groom take the first step of the seven vows to pledge that they would provide a prospered living for the household or the family that they would look after and avoid those that might hinder their healthy living.
2. During the second step of the seven pheras, the bride and the groom promise that they would develop their physical, mental and spiritual powers in order to lead a lifestyle that would be healthy.
3. During the third vow, the couple promises to earn a living and increase by righteous and proper means, so that their materialistic wealth increases manifold.
4. While taking the fourth vow, the married couple pledges to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love, respect, understanding and faith.
5. The fifth vow is taken to have expand their heredity by having children, for whom, they will be responsible. They also pray to be blessed with healthy, honest and brave children.
6. While taking the sixth step around the sacred fire, the bride and the groom pray for self-control of the mind, body and soul and longevity of their marital relationship.
7. When the bride and the groom take the seventh and the last vow, they promise that they would be true and loyal to each other and would remain companions and best of friends for the lifetime.