Punjabi Sikh & Ceylonese Hindu wedding by Andy Lim (Part 1!)

One of my favourite shots by Andy Lim!

Indian weddings are well known for being long, lavish affairs that can sometimes last for days on end – yes, some cultures really know how to celebrate love! These pics from WGA vendor Andy Lim showcase Davinder and Shahlini’s wedding that took place over a period of 5 continuous days. As it was a Punjabi Sikh and Ceylonese Hindu marriage, there were a mix of different traditions that were upheld – a gold-melting ceremony (Ponnurukku), groom’s party (Sangeet), bride’s oil ceremony, groom’s oil ceremony, a Hindu temple wedding, a Sikh temple wedding and finally the dinner reception at the Sheraton Subang.

The celebrations started with the Ponnurukku ceremony on Day 1. During this ceremony, the gold is melted so it can be made into a thaali (the gold chain that the groom fastens on the bride’s neck at the height of a Hindu wedding). It is said that after the Ponnurukku, both bride and groom are not allowed to meet or eat meat! I guess a lot of cultures don’t like the bride seeing the groom before the big day hmm? :)

Day 2

Good evening it’s Sangeet time! The Sangeet is a party held for the groom and his friends and family where one can expect a lot of singing, dancing and celebrating! Sounds like a must, hehe.

On Day 3, it was time for the bride’s oil ceremony. Don’t Indian weddings have the most amazing gowns and details? Great if you like colour!

The bride receiving blessings…

What about the Groom? Don’t worry, he’s not forgotten! On Day 4, it’s his turn for his own oil ceremony.

*To truly appreciate the whole wedding, we’ve decided to write Andy’s post in two parts. For pics of the actual day wedding, patience my friends – it’ll be up this week!