Gaye Holud Ceremony
Jun 30
2022
Bombay Tandoor
8603 Westwood Center Dr, Vienna
Vienna, VA 22182
United States
Bridal Henna
Jun 30
2022
VA United States
Welcome Party
Jul 1
2022
Sangeet
Jul 2
2022
Crystal Gateway Marriott
1700 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
The Baraat
Jul 3
2022
Ritz Carlton Pentagon City
1250 S Hayes St
(Meet Outside)
Arlington, VA 22202
The Ceremony
Jul 3
2022
Ritz Carlton Pentagon City
1250 S Hayes St
Main Ballroom
Arlington, VA 22202
The Gaye Holud ceremony is a significant and traditional ceremony at Bengali weddings (think bridal shower meets classy paint party). This ceremony is traditionally conducted at the homes of both groom and bride to bless them with great fortune and prosperity & to give them some "spa" treatment before their big day! Typically it is conducted on the Wedding morning, but since Alisha is having a morning ceremony (a south Indian custom), she opted to start the wedding weekend with this small ceremony.
In the Bengali tradition, fresh turmeric paste is mixed with mustard oil and first applied to the groom by his mother and 5-9 married ladies on his side. Afterward, the same paste is applied to the bride by her mother and 5-9 married ladies on her side.
Ceremony Details: During the separate Groom & Bride Blessing Ceremonies, you will notice the Groom/Bride standing in the center surrounded by 4 banana trees. The 5-9 married ladies then bless the person standing in the center by symbolically bathing them with water collected from the sea/river/ocean while walking seven auspicious laps around the bride/groom. After completing their orbit, each married lady goes up to them to apply the turmeric paste to their skin and bless them for prosperity.
Why is this Ceremony Done: As some of you know, turmeric or holud has many medicinal purposes. It is an antiseptic, helps in the purification of the skin, and gives them a glow. Turmeric also helps in the reduction of dark spots, blemishes, and pigmentation of the skin, and reduces body hair growth. The Bride and Groom's skin will be soft and supple.
Food: We will be serving lunch following the ceremony.
The Bride will be beginning her 4 - 6 hour Henna application on Thursday afternoon at 4pm. Her closest friends & family will keep her company during happy hour while enjoying cocktails and apps made by Iron Chef Bobby Das!
In many Hindu weddings, it is a tradition to have a henna party before the wedding. During a henna party, artists use a paste made from dried henna leaves to paint intricate patterns on the hands of the bridal party and the Bride. The pigment of henna is quite dark and stains the skin easily. The bride traditionally gets the most intricate patterns to set her apart from her bridesmaids and the process can take three to six hours to complete. It is suggested that the henna is applied two to three days prior to the wedding so that the paste has ample time to stain the skin
In India, the henna painting ceremony is called a Mehndi party, and it is a joyful occasion. Because the bride has to sit still for several hours, her friends might dance and sing songs to entertain her or bring her treats. They must try to keep from being too distracting to the bride or to the artist, due to the precision needed to complete intricate designs. Mehndi sessions are a tradition from ancient cultures dating back over five thousand years, where the bride-to-be is given all the secrets of a happy and fruitful marriage as told by her closest female family members and friends.
Sangeet is where the party begins! It is conducted to relish the happiness and joy surrounding the couple. Relatives and friends of the Bride and Groom choreograph dance numbers to perform for the couple adding to the jubilation of the event. The song and dance portion of the Sangeet is a social bond connecting the two families to each other and to the bride and groom. SO Get ready for a night of fun, amazing food, and performances! Take an opportunity to catch up with friends and make some new ones.
Join us for heavy appetizers, Indian Fusion dinner Stations, and an open bar! Henna will be available from 6:30pm to 10:30pm - go get yourself an awesome design to show off in the pictures!
Performances will go from 7:30 to 9:00pm - cheer on your fellow guests as they get up on the dance floor! Finally, we will end with an open dance floor until 11pm. Bring your party shoes and bust a move!
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM: South Indian Breakfast
10:00 AM: Baraat (Groom's Procession) All guests are encouraged to gather in the driveway prior to 10am for Baraat instructions.
10:30 AM: Bor Boron (Bride's Mother welcomes the Groom)
11:00 AM: Ceremony Begins
The Baraat is typically the groom's wedding procession. In India, oftentimes, it is customary for the man to travel to his Bride's wedding venue accompanied by family members.
In western culture, the Baraat has evolved into a parade with lots of dancing, typically to the rhythm of the dhol, or Indian drums (or hard rock). The procession halts at a meeting point for both sides of the family. The equivalent relatives from the groom and bride's sides greet each other, followed by a ritual that symbolizes the unification of both clans.
Fun is mandatory here!
Bor Boron A Bengali Tradition (Bor means Groom in Bengali)
The mother of the bride welcomes the groom (Bor) with a Boron Dala (the welcoming tray) which is a decorative cane tray containing auspicious ingredients like rice, turmeric, betel nuts, paan leaves, a cluster of bananas and a lighted diya. She blesses the groom by touching the Boron dala to his forehead, shoulders, chest and knees, feeds him with a sweet. He is now ready to proceed to the mandap.
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM: South Indian Breakfast
10:00 AM: Baraat (Groom's Procession) All guests are encouraged to gather in the driveway prior to 10 AM for the Baraat.
10:30 AM: Bor Boron (Bride's Mother welcomes the Groom)
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: The Ceremony
Lunch will be served at 1:00 PM following the Ceremony.
There will a 4.5-hour break in between the Wedding lunch and Cocktail Hour. This a great opportunity to head to home or your hotel room to nap/relax and explore the Pentagon City Mall (connected to the Ritz).