Weddings in India are filled with ritual and celebration that continue for several days. Usually around 100 to 10,000 people attend. Attendees are frequently not known directly by the bride and groom.
Though most Indian marriages are arranged,[1] some couples in urban areas consummate "love marriages", in which the partners decide to marry each other without family involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian wedding is about two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis placed on the families coming closer as the married couple.
Many wedding customs are common among Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Muslims. They combine local, religious and family traditions. The period of Hindu wedding ceremonies[2] dates from the application of tilak.
Weddings in India are a mainstay in the social calendar of the whole community. Many wedding traditions originated in India. Increasingly, Western features are incorporated, such as speeches, the first dance and the traditional wedding cake.
South Asian-style weddings are typically very lavish, typically at the behest of the bride.