This event is hosted by Tanu’s parents at their house in Mumbai for all guests who wish to draw Henna on their hands. This event is open to all genders! We will have Mumbai famous Chat for finger food and Bollywood music for all to groove :) The mehandi function is an integral part of wedding rituals. It is a time-consuming application process which serves as a reminder for the bride to slow down. Traditionally, the mehandi night is before the big day to keep the bride's stress level under control and feel loved surrounded by her closest family and friends. The green mehandi paste is applied to the hands and feet, which house nerve endings in the body, to help calm the bride's nerves. Not only is it considered to bring luck, joy and beauty, its scent also said to have aphrodisiac properties.

Join Soham and I raise a toast to a life as we know it - Dinner, Drinks and Dance!

This event is inspired by Tanu’s Bengali heritage. The combination of red and white is considered very auspicious by Bengali women. White stands for purity while red symbolizes fertility. A white or off-white saree with a red border and pallav is often the attire of choice of a married woman for religious ceremonies. Guests are requested to please respect the color scheme for this event. The Haldi rasam is a pre-wedding ceremony performed a day before the wedding. Family members and friends playfully slather the bride and groom in a paste of turmeric, oil, and milk. The atmosphere is fun, lively, and filled with camaraderie. Post Haldi, we welcome all guests to change into swimsuits and join us for a quick dip in the pool! (The resort prohibits any kind of food/haldi/flowers in the pool, we request you to please clean up before jumping in!)

Centered around music and dancing, one popular Hindu wedding tradition is the Sangeet ceremony. A night before the wedding, the bride and groom, along with all their closest friends and relatives, come together to celebrate the union of their two families. Close friends and family of the bride and groom will perform rehearsed dance routines on a stage or designated dance floor. A Sangeet can feel very similar to a reception with all the singing, dancing and food. Following the choreographed dances and performances, the families will open the dance floor to whoever wishes to join them.

The wedding starts with grooms procession towards the Mandap (wedding alter) with all friends and family dancing ahead of him. When they reach the mandap, bride’s mother welcomes the groom by applying tilak (red vermillion) on his forehead and welcoming him to marry her daughter. The groom enters the Mandap and sits on a designated wedding spot. The antarpat, or curtain, is hanged in front of the groom, restricting his vision of the bride, who’d be sitting opposite him. The bride then enters the Mandap, and the priest chants Mangalashtakas or sacred vows, accompanied by musicians. On an auspicious moment, the antarpat is removed, and the couple exchange jaimala (flower garlands). That’s when all guests shower them with akshata, or whole rice. Both, the bride and groom, sit at the alter to carry out religious ceremonies like Kanyadaan where the father of the bride gives away his daughter to the bridegroom with blessings and the groom promises to love and respect his wife forever. The bride’s parents worship the couple as avatars of Vishnu and Laxmi, and the couple then tie a turmeric thread to each other’s hands. As a final touch, the groom ties the Mangalsutra (a gold necklace with black beads) around the bride’s neck and puts vermillion on her forehead (called sindoor). Saying out loud the seven wedding vows, the couple together encircles the holy fire seven times while performing the Marathi marriage ritual of Saptapadi. The bride bids farewell to her parents and leaves with the grooms family to her new house.

With all ceremonies coming to an end, it is time to introduce the newlyweds - Mr. Soham and Mrs. Tanushree Lahiry - Gadgil!