The Big Fat Indian Wedding

Posted on by Reena Saxena

Indian weddings are bigger carnivals than any other festival celebrated here. Décor and attire is lavish, not just elegant. Food and drink overflows.  Dance and music is OTT, and can give a headache to peace-loving people. Videography and selfies override the solemnity of the wedding ceremony. The ceremonies can last from two days to a week.

People are capable of spending a lifetime of savings, or even borrowing to meet expenses. Being an introvert, I am the odd one out – my insanity is comfortable with a device and books, rather than socializing, dancing and getting photographed.

The keywords are ‘letting go’.

insanity rules

opulence makes them forget

challenges to come

Poetics: Mardi Gras Mambo

37 thoughts on “The Big Fat Indian Wedding”

  7. It does seem weird when the production of the wedding seems more important than the marriage itself. As others have said, there are huge production weddings here, too. I was happy both daughters chose to have much simpler, smaller ceremonies.

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  10. You would have a good laugh at comedian Jim Gaffigan’s bit on weddings. See if you can find it. Americans are into extravaganzas as well. And the wedding I just attended in New Orleans was one big production, no room for authenticity.

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    1. If you hire producers, they will produce extravaganzas that sell. I wonder if the guests genuinely enjoy the show, feel dwarfed, feel valued for being on the invitee list or are busy being captured on camera?

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  11. I’ve only read about them, but I wanted to believe they were more like the quaint, community feeling portrayed in Elizabeth Gilbert’s, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ …. the weddings in the States also go over the top — of course, my husband and I paid for our own wedding and we kept the thrifty occasion fun, but reasonable – we had a life we wanted to live beyond the marriage day! Thank you for sharing your unique perspective ❤

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  15. Been there, done that. My son was married in a Hindu ceremony conducted in English, Sanskrit and Gujarati. They just had the short version, 1.5 days. We are Catholic, so my son and daughter-in -law, were also married in the Catholic Church.

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  17. when I read your title had same thing in my mind about the tycoons and page 3 marriages being in news. Its nice its your hard earned money and your choice the way you want to spend. But on contrary a portion from your lavish expenses if the amount spent on development of poor by providing houses and removing slumps in metropolitian cities could be beautiful gesture. Those who can offord, we can except the needful from them.

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    1. I tell this to my young trainees all the time … the same money invested in your name will help you buy a house or car. All the hoopla remains locked in a video you may not watch after a few months.

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