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Marriage is not just about the union of two individuals, embarking on a journey of a lifetime together, bounded before God and man but more specifically, it is about making a room of acceptance for a totally unknown person in your life. A vast majority take the deep plunge because, just like in many fairy tale stories with villains and misfortunes, they believe in happy endings though married life is not at all bed of roses.

Marriage celebrations vary from one culture to another, depending on the social standing, religion preferences and among others. The financial capability of the couple and their families has become the tool that measures the success of the event although some couples who have the means and ways and are well-placed in the high society prefer to have the celebration at their own whims and satisfaction, taking for granted the dictates of the society while others follow the long-held and cherished customs and traditions.

Indian marriages, which are predominantly arranged, are ritualistic and usually last for days. Indian weddings put more emphasis about two families becoming one socially and not much about two individuals being joined in matrimony. As wedding ceremony lasts for days, it formally starts when the bride is sent to the grooms household. According to Hinduism teachings, the Brahma created man from his right shoulder and woman from his left such that all throughout the ceremony, the woman is seated on the right side of the groom, a place for strangers, and only after the exchange of marital vows that the woman is allowed to sit on the left side of the groom. Indian weddings are filled with deeply-embedded rituals that even until now, majority of Indians all over the world still practice.

Islamic culture gives matrimony a different kind of meaning and importance as marriage is not just a religious duty but also a necessity. Just like an Indian wedding which is celebrated with grandeur, an Islamic wedding ceremony is composed of three phases that include pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding rituals. During the wedding, men and women are seated separately while the Imam or Muslim priest reads some verses in the Quran. Ritual is completed once the couple gives their mutual consent, which is considered important to make the union legal. It is only after dinner that the couple is allowed to be seated together with heads covered to read prayers and the Quran between them, allowing them to see each other through a mirror.

Our rich and deeply-rooted cultures and traditions define the way we celebrate wedding ceremonies. Whatever cultural denominations you belong and however way you hold your wedding, the most important part of it is the willingness to accept a person in your life and honoring your vows until the end of time.