10h30 Sagai

Engagement Ceremony
The women from the bride’s family are sitting on the stage and the groom’s family arrives with gifts (clothes and jewelry) for the bride.
The men from both families are sitting in the front rows of the audience with the groom.
The bride arrives accompanied by her sister, cousin and best friends.
The bride receives the gifts and goes to change clothes for the ones she just received. Upon returning to her new ensemble, she is blessed by the various women on both sides of the family with chandlo (forehead dot) and a small gift of money.
The groom takes the stage for photographs with the guests and the Maharaj (priest) compiles the Lagan Lakhavanu (a paper held up to read on the wedding day).
While this is happening, lunch is being served.

20h30 Sangeet and Garba

The word sangeet means “sung together” in Sanskrit. The ceremony involves the couple’s closest family and friends dancing (and/or singing) for the couple to celebrate the start of their new journey together. So start rehearsing your best Bollywood moves!

This “talent show” follows a beautiful entrance from the bride and groom, so arrive on time.
After the “talent show” comes Garba and Dandyia, two dance styles typical of Gujarat, the groom’s family’s region of India. These are round dances, in which the entire community participates, with simple steps in which everyone is invited to join in (you can find some links to videos in the FAQs).
This is the ceremony where the most people are expected at the temple (you can bring friends who like to dance, letting the bride and groom know that they are going to do it). Snacks and drinks will be served, but we recommend that you already have dinner.

Religious Ceremonies

Mandvo (Ganesha Ceremony)
Some Hindu ceremonies begin with a pandit invoking Ganesha, the elephant god of wisdom and salvation. By invoking Ganesha, the Maharaja removes any obstacles to the marriage ceremony, to ask for peace during the ceremony so that it can be carried out without hindrance. Items such as rice, flowers and fruits are placed on a thali, a round metal tray, as offerings to the deity.

Goddesses Ceremony
The Goddesses in question are Randal Maa and this is a tradition where the ceremony is performed when a new daughter-in-law is welcomed into the new home. The ceremony will bring happiness and blessings upon the couple.

These religious ceremonies will be held at the groom’s parent’s house and are attended by family members and close friends of the groom only.

17h00 Chuda

Ivory Bracelets Ceremony
The bracelet ceremony is very different in the various regions of India, and may even differ from village to village in the same region. It is common to see multiple red bracelets or, in our case, two white ones (made of ivory in the past) on each wrist. The ceremony begins with the bride and groom’s mothers applying chandlo to the bride’s forehead and bracelets as an auspicious sign. Then the future mother-in-law, Krishna, puts the bracelets on the bride and covers them with a cloth, so that they are not stained by the turmeric paste applied in the following ceremony. The use of these bracelets is another marriage symbol, as only married women can wear them.

Pithi

Family members and close friends come together on this auspicious occasion to apply turmeric paste (haldi) on the faces and bodies of the bride and groom.
Due to the yellow color of the paste, it is common nowadays for guests to wear a garment of that same color, representing the color of fire in Hinduism. The paste helps to ward off evil spirits and bad omens for the wedding day – so it is only removed from the skin after three or four hours. Turmeric is known for giving glow to the skin, so Haldi also helps the bride and groom’s skin look its best for their wedding day.

15h Jaan (aka Baraat)

This is one of the most fun parts of the wedding. The groom and his family come in a parade, with loud music and dancing, a celebration of the bachelor’s last steps, slowly towards the bride. The groom is usually on a horse (or elephant, in India), armed with a sword and does not exactly participate in the dances. The bride’s guests can join the party once the parade is closer to its end.

(The parade will be happening on the access to the parking lot, so we ask that guests arrive early, as anyone who doesn’t will only be able to park their car after Jaan has finished)

Phonkfwanu (Welcoming the groom)
Kishan is welcomed by Renata’s family in a traditional way where the bride’s sister comes with a pot on her head, followed by the bride’s cousin and “bridesmaids”, and where Kishan and his family must put some money, or they will not be allowed to pass. Next comes her mother, Adriana, who performs a brief welcome ceremony, accompanied by the other women of the bride’s family. The groom then crushes clay pots into small pieces, meaning he has the power to overcome any obstacles in his married life. Kishan is then escorted to the Mandap (the “altar”).

16h Lagan (Religious Wedding Ceremony)

The hindu vedic ceremony not only unites two individual souls spiritually, mentally and physically, but also two families. The ceremony of marriage is conducted according to Vedic traditions. Each step of the ceremony has a profound spiritual meaning and a life-affirming purpose.

Ganesh Pooja
The wedding ceremony starts by offering a prayer to Lord Ganesh requesting for peace and harmony to prevail during the ceremony. Lord Ganesh’s blessings are sought for the auspicious beginning for the couple.

Varpooja and Kanya Agman (Arrival of the bride)
Renata’s mother washes Kishan’s feet with Panchamut (mixture of honey, yogurt, sugar, milk and ghee) offering flowers and Madhuparka. At the end of the Varpooja, a veil of cloth (Antarpat) is held in front of Kishan to prevent him from seeing Renata as she enters. Renata is escorted by her father, Osvaldo, and other male members of the family.

Jaimala
When Renata arrives in the Mandap the priest begins the ceremony by chanting Mangalashtak and then the antarpat is removed symbolizing their separate existence coming to an end, after that the couple exchanges flower garlands. Renata offers the garland first, declaring that she has chosen Kishan of her own free will, then Kishan offers her a garland welcoming her to a new life together, promising to look after her.

Granthibandan and Varmala
Kishan’s scarf is tied to Renata’s dress while the Maharaj chants prayers to the Gods for a strong marriage like theirs. The knot symbolizes the union of two souls joined together in holy matrimony. A long sacred cotton thread (Varmala) is placed around both Kishan and Renata, bonding them spiritually.

Hasta Melap/Kanya Dan
Is the ritual where Renata’s parents, give (Dan) their daughter away in marriage by placing her right hand on Kishan’s right hand while the priest chants the verses. Praying that their son-in-law will look after their daughter.

Mangal Phera (Steps around the Holy Fire)
Renata and Kishan take four circles (Pheras) around the Fire (Havan) while the Maharaj recites some mantras. They stop on each circle to touch a stone, symbolizing their strength of devotion and ability to overcome any obstacles. At the end of each phera, Renata’s brothers fill her palm with grains, signifying wealth and prosperity. The four pheras represent the main goals of life: Dhanna (Righteousness), Artha (Living honestly), Kama (Energy and Passion) and Moksha (Liberation).

Saptapadi
The couple takes seven steps to symbolize the beginning of their journey together for life. Taking these vows on each step: Nourish each other, Grow together in strength; Preserve their healing; Share their wealth; Take care of their children and parents; To be together forever and remain friends lifelong.

Sindoor and Mangalsutra Dharan
Kishan places sindoor (red pigment) on Renata’s parting of her hair as a symbol of a married woman. Kishan places a golden necklace with black beads around Renata’s neck, representing his love, integrity and respect for her in this sacred union.
There’s an exchange of sweets between the couple as a promise of fidelity and a symbolic gesture that they will provide for each other needs in their journey.

Khanda Saubhagyavati Bhava (Blessings from married women)
The married women of Kishan and Renata’s family are invited to greet them and whisper inRenata’s right ear their blessings of a blissful married life, prosperity and happiness.

Ashirwad (Blessings)
The priest then offers blessings to the bride and groom by reciting some Vedic mantras. The newly wedded couple seeks blessings from the priest, parents, relatives and friends for a happy married life together.

17h30 Cocktail

Once the religious ceremony is over, the party begins. We will have Portuguese and Indian appetizers, as well as drinks (it’s called a cocktail for some reason).

Dinner

Seated dinner follows. From here onwards the food will be exclusively Portuguese, a meal with starter, two courses and dessert, in addition to a buffet of sweets, fruit and cheese. The bar remains open all night. Before moving on to the dances, we will break the wedding cake.

Party

Everyone knows that the bride and groom are kings on the dance floor, so we hope you’ll join us in making this party unforgettable! Expect fun until 3 or 4 am (limit imposed by the venue – and anyway the bride gets grumpy when she starts to get sleepy).