Day two Beckie & Chintans Wedding - The Ceremony

Hi everyone,

So Saturday was the actual Wedding. The only reason we ventured over to India - it was D day!

Unlike English Weddings the "ceremony" didn't start until 6pm so we got a taxi over to the Gadani's for 4pm so we could get dressed properly (We needed help as our Sarees needed pinning on our shoulders) Beckie's family were there too, everyone looked amazing!

We all had lots of photos taken and it's a funny feeling wearing a Saree. I didn't like my belly being out, but everyone else did and to be honest it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, just best not to slouch sitting down - more rolls than Greggs bakery lol.
Beckie had her hair and makeup was professionally done and just as we were getting our pictures taken she walked into our room... One word. STUNNING! She looked great as an Asian bride! Like Princess Jasmine :)

After a few pictures were taken we made our way to the venue, and already set up was the two chairs on the raised platform for Beckie and Chintan to sit on and where the ceremony was taking place, there was chairs all around it for spectators and actually so different to English weddings, the family participated.

While we were waiting for everyone to arrive there was two young lads who were playing the drums, quite a few of the ladies got up and started a circle around the drummers and started a little step, clap dance. It was so fun! Everyone got involved; Beckies parents, Paige, Johnny and us. It was great to participate and feel welcomed enough to be able to join in with their traditions.

We were dancing a short while and Beckie and Chintan came out and joined in with us, I can't tell you how much fun it was.We danced until the sun went down :) maybe about an hour i'd say.

Once we'd finished the dancing everyone sat down and the ceremony began, it's not like in churches where everyone sits in silence, we sat down to watch but we couldn't see what was going on, so went to the other side where it was being filmed and took a few photos from there, I liked it how a lot of people are involved in it, very spiritual. 

I was standing up just watching and this young girl came over to  me called Rinku (think thats how its spelt) she was 14 and started talking to me, the sweetest girl there is, and her English was great! I think she wanted to practise what she's learning with someone, we ended up talking for hours and she was explaining what was happening and also traditions with Hindus. Did you know in the villages if a Hindu girl is set to marry a Hindu boy and he dies before marriage that she must not ever leave the house and is often killed by her parents?? That's crazy!

I learned a lot from such a young girl :) 

I absolutely love this photo :)

The gist I got was that everyone sitting in with Beckie and Chintan had to pour water onto Beckie's toe, and I think rice  (I could be wrong though) Don't be employing me as an RE teacher... seriously lol

So a cord was put around them and called upon Lora to help them put over Chintans head.

United as one

Once the spiritual events were over the chairs were turned next
 to each other and was an opportunity to take photos

Beckie and Chintan then went over to a stage and sat on thrones and everyone queued up throughout the night to have photos taken with them :) Food was then served by caterers at the back of the venue and Rinku my new friend (or Pingu as we called her) took me around and told me what each thing was and what was supposed to be eaten with what. It was really good food! Hundreds of people turned up to eat and then I swear they left not long after, but the only thing that we could have done with was a dance. After everyone had finished and the couple had all their photos taken, they finally sat down with their two families to have dinner and everyone else went home. 

All of us having our photo with the Bride and Groom (Pingu's in the middle)

So overall we had a great time at the wedding, we got taken home by one of Chintans dads' friends was a bit of a squeeze, Lora, Lee, myself and his daughter in the back and him and his wife and child in the front of a tiny car lol! (No laws in India like we have here!) I saw a scooter with a whole family on! 2 adults and 2 kids - one of which was hanging off the side being held by the mum in her arm :/

Sunday we didn't do much, packed up and was invited over to the Marriott where Beckie's parents were staying and had dinner with Chintan and her family which was lovely and resided by the pool after dinner for coffee and really was a giggle. It just proves that you don't need alcohol to have a good time (but it does help!!) One thing I will say though is don't book a room at the Marriott in Ahmedabad, the staff are useless! 

We got back very late as the hotel tried to rip us off and charge us 4x the amount the taxi cost on the way here so called our hotel and they sent a driver to get us. It was about 12.30 by the time we actually got back and we had to be up at 4am to leave for the airport!! 

Big thank you to Chintan's family & friends and especially his father for everything he did for us. Also thanks to The Sears for Sunday and was great to spend some time with you all :D we really enjoyed ourselves but we really were ready to get out of India, it was a complete culture shock and when Lee and I were standing outside our hotel people were just so amazed by us that they stopped dead in the street and stared, we just waved at them all and the look on their faces, they were so happy lol!! I wished I would have recorded it, just the strangest thing ever. 

Anyway over and out - we're in Thailand now been here a couple days. I'll put a post up when I've left Bangkok xxxx

Good luck Beckie & Chintan and congratulations xxxxxx