Walking the walk
The trousseau, makeup, invitations, decorations and good food – seemingly the order of the messy events a.k.a. wedding are in order. Or are they? Probably imported right out of a Hollywood romcom, grand wedding entrances by the bride/groom have over the years gained popularity, pomp and importance. The tradition of the bride leaving her father's abode and off to her new family is deeply rooted in our culture.
Times have changed; social values have been reinterpreted and so has the grand 'wedding' entrance. The 'exit' has somewhat been reinterpreted as the 'entry.'
'Walking the walk' has now become so important that, in some extreme cases, the to-be-weds consider it the decisive factor that can make or break the whole event.
The 'deshi' wedding procession can be confusing; but as you marry only once, here are some ideas right from the top of our heads and what can be the new trends.
THE GROOM'S ENTRANCE -
If money is not an issue, the groom can always make an entry in a helicopter; but better leave that for the stars, celebrities and the nouveau-riche. Go soft on the extravagance and concentrate on creativity.
Those who take the term 'knight in shining armour' a little too seriously; horses, elephants, mules or camels are certainly out! Sounds cheesy? It is!
Stick to a simple walk straight from the entrance to the stage, along with your cousins, and friends, dancing along to the beat of live 'dhol'. In style, yet simple, tested and fun!
The groom can choose to walk under a regal umbrella, a reminiscent of the regal 'extravagance' that somewhat plagues history and our present wedding hullabaloo.
If you wanted more from a walk, then you can assign cousins to drop confetti on you while you make the walk. A more serious approach would be to release gas balloons, doves or hot air balloons to create a beautiful and catchy entrance, which also saves the bucks.
THE BRIDE'S ENTRANCE -
The bride's stance is a stark contrast to the groom's walk, it should not be devoid of frivolity.
The wedding party for the bride is special for reasons much different than that of the groom. It is a mixed feeling of emotion, joy and anticipation of a new beginning.
Music plays an important part in this, but do not opt for something sombre or downright sad – let romance float in the air and a positive vibe touch every heart attending the wedding.
Recently, the palki (palanquin) has been used by the bride to make her grand entrance; her closest friends and family being the 'behara', or bearers of said palki.
And plain walking towards the stage under the canopy of an orna held together by bridesmaids is also an option – some may consider it clichéd and done to death, but sometimes even the simplest of things can achieve the result which other grand ideas fail to express.
Switch the lights off at the venue and a procession lead by candleholders can truly be magical if done with care and perfection. With romantic tunes in the backdrop – perfection!
There is no right way of making an entry and not all ideas may seem appealing, and a lot of it also depends on the personality of the brides and the grooms. Feel free to be creative, and cheesy, but not so much to turn your special guests off at the very beginning of your very special day!
Photo: LS Archive (Wedding 2015)/Sazzad Ibne Sayed
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