We went to our first Hindu wedding; what an experience! Most marriages are still "arranged" in India, as was this one. The bride and groom are not well acquainted at the time of the wedding. The reason for their solemn faces, however, is more out of respect for the serious committment they are making, and to smile a lot would be considered flippant. Our neighbor's son got married on March 1st, but the ceremonies begin the day before. This is the reception, which begins with the groom's side parading to the wedding site. The groom mounts a white horse for the procession, while the family and friends lead the way, hemmed in by men carrying large poles with flashing lights and a band at the front. Lots of drummers, Indian style (that means loud)! At one point the groom's sister pulled me into the dance. I'm sure I looked as out of place as I felt, but I just copied what she was doing and laughed a lot. The wedding follows the reception, usually beginning about midnight and lasting at least 4 hours. Ben also enjoyed himself, especially the loud music and food! It was a "time to remember". (See if you can find Waldo, aka me, in 3 of 4 pictures). :)
