Traditional wedding in Nepal
Nepal is famous for its vivid culture. The rituals in Nepal start from before birth of individual and finish only after death. There are sixteen main rituals which a Hindu family observes during their whole life. The Buddhist family also observes different rituals until their death. Whichever religion Nepalese people follow wedding is considered one of the main ritual and event in individual’s life. Wedding rituals vary from society to society and even from different areas too. As majority of the people in Nepal are Hindus and Buddhist both of the societies consider wedding is very important ritual and plays a crucial role in individual’s life. Wedding makes an individual more responsible to family, society and even to deceased ancestors and family deities. Marriage in Nepal is the legal procedure to bear children. Singles in Nepal cannot bear children legally. Singles might have hidden relationships but it is beyond the norm of the society. Dating before marriage is not well seen in most of the Nepalese society.
Wedding considered an institution from where the family life begins and wedding makes individual more mature in relationships too. In the past the wedding ceremony lasting for at least two days in the agriculture based societies. Now a days due to the lack of accommodation for the invitees the wedding mostly last for a day and many cases very long days depending with the residence of the groom and bride.
The arranged marriage is still very common in many families but in many cases the bride and groom may know each other few days to few months before they get married. Normally head of the family is responsible for organizing the wedding of each of the family members who are living together. As joint family is very common in Nepal and practically many of the societies are patriarchal, father or grandfather of the bride or groom is responsible for making important decision and for organizing the important rituals pre-wedding, during the wedding and few rituals post wedding too. There are few societies in the mountains which are matriarchal.
In the past there was a practice, bride’s voice was not listened well but now they have opportunity to participate in discussions to whom to marry among the potential candidates. Normally a family priest or relatives play the role of the mediator to join hands of two different families.
How the bride and groom meet in Nepalese wedding
Normally the hit starts from the bride’s family. When the girls in the family reaching the marriageable age, which vary greatly with region, educational and financial status of the family, the close relatives of the family recommending the possible grooms for the girl. The family of the girl first overview every aspect of the potential grooms and talk to their girl about whether the particular potential groom is ok for her or she has somebody else in her mind. If she is ok, then through a nearest relative who knows the both families starts the conversation. Before the deal is finalized the bride and groom are given a brief private time together to ask any curiosities if they have. When both bride and groom are fine then the family heads meet and fix the wedding date as well as how to organize wedding depending with the economic status. The family who are not prosperous supposed to spend less money on the wedding than the family who are prosperous.
What are the process and how many days Nepalese wedding lasts?
In the past the whole wedding process last even a week when we had no transportation and people are living with farming but every time the time getting short and now a day the wedding last for a day. A day just after the wedding day or the next day there will be wedding reception by the groom’s family depending with the financial status of the family.
Traditionally all the relatives invited by the grooms side gather in the house of the groom a day before wedding day and have some nice meals there. Early morning in the wedding day all the male relatives of the groom have a possession to go the brides home, do the ritual there and stay overnight there. Next day they have a meal and come back to the groom’s home with the bride. There will be another nice meal in the groom’s family with the presence of the new bride for the whole relatives and they bid farewell to the newly married couples and go back to their destinations.
Now everything getting easier as the invitees from the groom’s side gather in the groom’s house early in the morning in the wedding day and selected relatives go to the bride’s place, wedding places or temples where there will be bride with her family, do the wedding ritual there with the help of the priest and late in the afternoon come back to the groom’s place with bride. The next day the groom’s family organizes a wedding reception where all the people from the groom’s side and selected relatives from the bride’s side are invited.
Within three to five nights the bride join her parents with her new husband and there will be party for the newly married ones in brides family considering the groom as now a member of their family too.
Wedding tours in Kathmandu
If you love to observe the Nepalese wedding in Kathmandu we might organize the wedding tours in Kathmandu. Feel free to write us. As Nepalese people get married according to the astrological calendar we have to figure out the date in advance. One must important issue is you must be patient to observe the whole process as there will be no punctuality regarding wedding in the Nepalese families. If you don’t like to indulge more on the wedding you are able to go even on the middle of the rituals. Just find your way and there will be no problem at all.
The popular wedding places in Kathmandu
The popular wedding places in Kathmandu are Guheswori temple, Bagalamukhi temple, Dakshinkali Temple, Bhadrakali temple and different places which are specially made to organize the wedding and wedding reception. Foreigners can enjoy participating in the Nepalese wedding and wedding reception. Some of the foods they prepare might be too hot and spicy. Ask gently which the spicy dishes are if you are joining any wedding reception.
Buddhist people gather in Swoyambhunath, Boudhanath, Kopan monastery and many other monasteries where they do the wedding rituals with professional monks from the monastery.
Wedding trips in Kathmandu
Our team now organizes wedding trips in Kathmandu for interested couples. If you wish to have different experience of your special day you can just get married in Kathmandu. We take care of your traditional dresses and ornaments, your transportation, meals and your special guest. We can find priests, translators and even we find families who help you sorting out everything for you.
How much does a wedding trip in Kathmandu would cost?
If you want to get married in Kathmandu, the cost has no limit but we can organize a simple wedding even from few hundred dollars to few thousand dollars per couple. Mostly the price is changing with venue, number of guests, type of ornaments and dresses you wish to have and number of nights you want to spend on our program. We even organize post wedding special trips like, helicopter to Everest Base Camp, trekking to Everest Base Camp, special GALA dinner and program of your choice in Himalayan regions.
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