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Elizabeth Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: March 03 2006 at 9:57am | IP Logged
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We were invited to go to a Hindu wedding in a couple of weeks. The invitation is confusing. From what I can gather, the ceremony is at 7:30 on a Friday morning and lasts about an hour and a half. But lunch isn't until 11:00. Not sure what we do in the interim. Not sure what the protocol is, what to wear... and not at all sure I can handle the smell of lunch cooking in the same building at 7:30 in the morning . Does anybody know what I can expect???
This is the wedding of the boy who lived next door to us when Mike and I were first married. My first memory of him was when he was sitting on his front steps when we went to our house for the first time after we got married. He laughed when Mike carried me over the threshold . He was ten when we moved in and nineteen when we moved out. He worked for Mike while he was a college student and then went to med school. Now, he's getting married. That makes me old...
__________________ Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Victoria in AZ Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 16 2005 Location: Arizona
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Posted: March 03 2006 at 11:27am | IP Logged
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Obviously the groom is somebody special to you both. With all due respect, asking for my own education, what does the Catechism say about attending a Hindu ceremony?
About the issue of time, when my bil was marrying in a Mormon wedding, our pastor advised attending the reception but not witnessing the ceremony itself.
About the issue of what to wear, you can watch a Hindu wedding, and look at clothing choices, in either the movie _Monsoon Wedding_ or _Bride & Prejudice_.
__________________ Your sister in Christ,
Victoria in AZ
dh Mike 24 yrs; ds Kyle 18; dd Katie 12; and one funny pug
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Elizabeth Founder
Real Learning
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Posted: March 03 2006 at 11:36am | IP Logged
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That's a good point, Victoria. Honestly, I just sat down today to try to make sense of the invitation. I'm assuming that the ceremony is "Murhurtham" which is from 7:23 to 8:47 in the morning. We got an invitation with that on it, but there is a separate card that says:
17 March 2006
Durga Temple
Ajoy and Jane Wedding
Breakfast: 7-9 am
Lunch 11:30-1 pm.
So, I started thinking that maybe non-Hindus were supposed to hang out at breakfast and then go to lunch. Still, what's the 2 1/2 hours between?
Mike emailed the groom but he hasn't gotten back to him. I could email his mom but I'm not even sure how to phrase the question. And right now, I feel like I'm functioning with half the required number of brain cells.
__________________ Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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stefoodie Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 17 2005 Location: Ohio
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Posted: March 03 2006 at 10:00pm | IP Logged
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hi elizabeth, here's the answer i got from some hindi friends:
Quote:
Muhurtham is the auspicious time during which the wedding ceremony is to take place. In a morning wedding often guests are served breakfast prior to the ceremony and lunch afterwards.
It is hard to generalize a "Hindu wedding" ceremony. Wedding ceremonies vary substantially in different parts of India - it may take anywhere from 10 minutes to six hours. In the case of such long ceremonies sometimes guests don't sit through the whole ceremony. As you said, the times noted are a bit confusing.
This particular wedding seems to be an Indian-American wedding. From the name of the groom - Ajoy - it appears that he is from Bengal, and Sury may be in a better position to explain the traditions followed.
At Indian weddings there is no formal dress code- everyone, especially women, wear colorful clothes. Black and white are traditionally avoided. Men wear either western style suits or Indian outfits. |
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__________________ stef
mom to five
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kingvozzo Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005 Location: Maine
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Posted: March 05 2006 at 10:57pm | IP Logged
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Victoria in AZ wrote:
Obviously the groom is somebody special to you both. With all due respect, asking for my own education, what does the Catechism say about attending a Hindu ceremony?
About the issue of time, when my bil was marrying in a Mormon wedding, our pastor advised attending the reception but not witnessing the ceremony itself. |
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My understanding of this is that this is limited to Catholics who are marrying outside the Church. The Church recognizes the marriages of non-Catholics, so it would not be a problem to attend the ceremony.
__________________ Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Erin Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005 Location: Australia
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Posted: March 05 2006 at 11:09pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
Not sure what we do in the interim. Not sure what the protocol is, what to wear... . |
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My brother's girlfriend is from Bombay, India. Although she is Catholic At Christmas my brother attended her sister's wedding in India. For the clothes I would definetly second the opinion of bright, vibrant colours.
The pictures Mercia (Kieren's girlfiend) has forwarded has the women wearing vivid reds,oranges. The brighter the better. I'll ask Mercia if she knows, but as she is Catholic she may not.
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Erin Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 23 2005 Location: Australia
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Posted: March 06 2006 at 11:11pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth,
Mercia responded to my question, so I'll just cut and paste it She is most willing to answer any other questions so fire away.
Dear Erin,
I must say the Hindu weddings are confusing, but since i have been to a few in India i can help u here.
the ceremony that there are talking about is like our nuptials in the church, and they formally get married in the presence of priests and family...........its quite interesting as the hindus believe in seven life's after death so the couple hold hands and walk around fire,(something like a campfire) seven times praying that seven times when they get married in different births they will marry the same man/woman.........they believe in life after death...........seven not just one ..................
people throw flowers and rice when this is happening and the priests says prayers as well during this time...............this is the standard ritual but i am not sure since they are in Oz they might have changes to it..................food is a big part of the whole thing...........as in india we believe we should feed anyone who comes to our doorstep as they are in the form of GOD..........and so we should do our best to serve them............
u can avoid the morning ceremony as to be frank i find it boring as i cant understand it well...........but it might be interesting to u................and yes they might cook lunch in the same building...........or they might have outside catering food...........
u can wear anything, it would not matter, although if there are many indians they will wear their traditional outfits 'sarees'...........just wear what u wear for weddings or what ur comfortable in .............after the morning ceremony is over, u have all the time to make new friends until lunch is served and to wish the couple............so basically all one does is chit-chat............thats the 2 1/2 hrs for, just talking or soemtimes dancing ..........u can have breakfast and leave if u dont wish to stay further ..........or u can just go for the lunch thing...........but it will be considered rude to do that, ideally one has to attend the morning ceremony...........
i hope ur no longer confused, but if u have further questions mail me back................
__________________ Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Elizabeth Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: March 14 2006 at 4:27pm | IP Logged
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Thanks Erin!
I thought I'd share the following email that dh received from the groom's mother. This is turning into quite an education:
It is a formal occasion, everyone will be dressed nice. You can come formal (suit) or semi-formal (without jacket). Elizabeth can be in a dress. Just as you would for church. The wedding will be noisy as people go about their business while the wedding is going on. You will still be able to hear and enjoy the wedding. The rituals begin around 7:30 a.m. If you want to come at that time you can, or you can come a little later and join. If you want to see the whole wedding, then you need to come at 7:30a.m. Breakfast is served between 7 to 9 a.m. Lunch will be served between 11:30 and 12 noon. The lunch will be strict vegetarian - no meat, chicken, fish or eggs. Liquor will not be served. But, you will be fed well.
__________________ Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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