I’ve never actually tried to explain what happens in an Indian wedding on this blog since I’ve grown up with them, but whenever I talk to friends who aren’t Indian I realize that many of the rituals could probably use some explanation. Each part of India has slightly different rituals or ways of performing the same rituals which is what makes photographing Indian wedding so interesting.

I remember that at one wedding the non-Indian groomsmen didn’t realize they were supposed to let the bridesmaids steal the groom’s shoes. One groomsman was holding onto them for dear life until a bridesmaid explained he was only supposed to put up token resistance so later on the groom could buy back his shoes from the bridesmaids.

There’s almost always a horse (though sometimes an elephant) with or without a carriage for the bharat. This is a procession of the groom’s family, traditionally, to the bride’s residence. Here it’s often once around the wedding venue and plenty of dancing by the groom’s family. As the photos below show getting put on someone’s shoulders can get a little  tricky, but Amil took the whole thing in stride. I’m guessing he was much more comfortable, though, in the horse-drawn carriage.