INDIAN WEDDING CUSTOM AND TRADITIONS

Parsee saalis takes gifts from their brother-in-law or jija during the ritual of haath boravanu where the groom puts his hand in water and cannot remove them until he pays money to them, pag dhovanu is another such ritual where the groom is threatened with milk on his shoes and chero chorvanu is a ritual in which seven strands of thread tying the couple are removed on payment. In other community also this ritual is there where the sister-in-laws or saalis hide the shoes of their jija or brother-in-law and return them only in exchange for money. It's a very fun filled and enjoying ritual.
In some communities, there are rituals where the hands of the couple are covered with a sacred cloth to ward off ill omen and evil eye during the pheras. In Gujarati custom the groom's mother-in-law tries to catch his nose on arrival of the baraat, as a reminder of the fact that he is taking away their daughter and is now responsible for her happiness. Aeki-Beki is also very fun filled rituals among the Gujarati community. It is full of fun and games. A tray or pot of water is mixed with milk and vermillion. A ring and a few coins are thrown into the mixture. The bride and groom are given seven chances to fish out the ring.
The winner is considered as having a dominating personality and it is predicted amidst much laughter that he or she will rule the roost! In Punjabi custom the bride's wear a Chuda, which is a set of red and ivory bangles by her maternal ncle.
This custom is considered good omen for the bride as it is said to bring good luck to the bride in her new home. Punjabi brides wear Kaleeres. These are silver or gold plated ornaments tied to the Chudas. It is said that the bride has as many friends as there are leaves in the Kaleere.
Sweets, eggs, and money are woven into to wedding themes of India. They symbolize, respectively, a sweet life, feretility, and prosperity. The Hindu wedding ceremony includes customary rituals to ward off evil spirits. After the wedding vows have been exchanged the groom's father or brother showers flower petals on the newlyweds; then he holds a coconut over the bride and groom's heads and circles it around them three times. An Indian groom often wears a turban with a veil of flowers streaming down in front of his face to protect him from evil spirits.
Traditional Indian brides wear pink and red saris on their wedding day, adorning themselves extravagantly with as much jewelry as possible. Henna staining, a customary art form, is still practiced by Indian brides to be. On the eve of her wedding vows, following a traditional ceremonial cleansing, the bride-to-be will have her hands and feet painted with henna, in beautiful paisley or medallion patterns. Then a special wedding gift is given to the bride, a necklace signifying her married status.
Another ritual, which is found in almost every community is when the groom brings home his new bride, the groom's sisters block the entrance to the home and demand money from their brother as a shagun before they let him in.