Wedding Ceremony: Post Procession

This was one of my favorite moments during the wedding. All of this happened just inside the doors of the hall before the ceremony with the priest. And this was all a complete surprise to me. No one mentioned that we were going to do anything like this before the wedding. 

Here Mummy G has come to get me from inside the hall. She's taking me to meet Deepal at the door. But no, there's no surprise for him in the way I look. Not like a western wedding. Deepal was there when I was picking my wedding saree out and he also saw me before the procession started when we took photographs together. I'm glad we took those pictures before the ceremony, though, because afterwards my eyes were all red and small from all the smoke from the fire. ouch.

 Next, we were both given garlands of flowers and we were supposed to put them around each others' necks. P.S. those garlands are pretty heavy. To make it fun, though, each family picks up the bride and groom to make it more difficult to put the garlands on. The idea, I think, is not to give away your son/daughter so easily.

 Here is Deepal being lifted by all his cousins. I am being lifted too, but my family was not as practiced at the procedure so I am considerably lower than he is.

Hehehe, here is my first attempt to get the garland on Deepal, but if you notice how narrow the loop is, then you can imagine what happened: I just smacked him in the face with the garland.. hehehe

Second try, I got closer but still lacked height. It was less of a direct smack to the face. :)

Third time was the charm, but Deepal had already learned to keep his eyes closed while I tried.. :) hehe

Afterwards, the photographer had us stage this photograph. I don't know why. Me smacking Deepal in the face with the garland seems romantic enough to me. ;)

Then it was my turn to be lifted up. This time my family got the hang of it much better, and I had considerable more height. Getting the garland on Deepal would have been much easier from this height. Well, it's not like we had a chance to practice lifting me up while in full ceremonial saree gear. ;)  Deepal is in the process of being lifted up, too.. perhaps he's getting goosed. ;)

Deepal had no trouble getting the garland on me. hmph. Probably because he has long monkey arms. ;)

Then we all entered the hall together to sit at the altar and begin the official wedding ceremony with the priest.