Kerala Beautiful Christian Wedding

FOR someone like me who goes gaga over ali weddings, witnessing a Malayalee Catholic wedding was sheer joy. Ann Rekha Roy and Vijo Anthony were kind enough to invite me and it turned out to be a stunning function. A typical Christian wedding in my mind included the bride walking down the aisle, the couple saying 'I do' and the reverend pronouncing them man and wife. Catholic weddings in Kerala have a few unknown elements thrown in, including the Mathuram Veppu ceremony, the Manthrakodi and the Thaali, all a pleasant surprise.

There are over a dozen denominations of Christians in Kerala. Latin Catholicism was introduced with the arrival of the Portuguese in the late 15th century. Since then, Latin Catholics in Kerala have adopted several Indian customs and made them their own, such as the tying of the Thaali, a predominantly Hindu custom.
An unusual feature of the wedding was the three-day wedding course, a compulsory pre-wedding tutorial of sorts for the Catholic couple that wishes to get married in church. Here they are given tips on everything from how to prepare for the wedding day to the wedding rituals to how to live amicably as a married couple.

ENGAGEMENT 
The Manne Samadham or betrothal, done a few days before the wedding, Is usually a grand affair because often it's the only function conducted by the bride's family. Rekha's engagement was no different. The day begins in church where the father blesses the couple and the rings. With God as their witness, Rekha and Vijo exchange rings and sign a register. It was followed by a reception held at a huge waterfront resort with awe-inspiring decor. Continuing the prayers, the minister blessed the couple again and started the evening off with a small prayer. The couple then cut a cake and enjoyed a few seconds of privacy before guests began piling on stage to greet them. At some weddings, this is when the maid of honour, bridesmaids and best men toast the couple.

MATHURAM VEPPU 
One of the traditions of the Kerala Christian faith is the Mathuram Veppu, attended only by close family and friends. It takes place at the bride and groom's respective homes and is a more intimate affair. The evening rituals begin with a prayer. The bride rinses her mouth and washes her hands, and her Godparents feed her a spoonful of sugar. The entire ceremony is over in less than a few minutes but signifies the beginning of the wedding celebrations. The same function happens at the groom's home as well.

THE COCKTAIL 
Most people combine the cocktail night with the Mathuram Veppu, but Rekha decided to make a night of it and invited all her friends and family. A typical cocktail night is a prelude to the wedding ceremony and is always held the night before the big day. The couple's friends and family present a mix of performances from musicals to choreographed dances. The bubbly Rekha, dressed in a traditional Christian Chatte and Mundu, got together with friends and family to enact a musical of their love story. The fun and dancing continued till the wee hours of the morning. Luckily for everyone, the wedding wasn't until 3 o'clock the next evening!
A unique feature of Kerala's Christian weddings is the Manthrakodi, a second bridal saree and a gift from the groom. The manthrakodi has become a staple of all Christian weddings in Kerala. The Christian Thaali, also called the Minnu, is shaped like a banyan leaf with a cross on it, representing the shelter a banyan tree provides. On the night before the wedding, the groom's aunt or a close relative removes seven silken threads from the Manthrakodi saree and strings the Minnu on to it. This serves as the Thaali for the wedding day.

The Christian Thaali also called Minnu,is shaped like a banyan leaf with a cross on it

THE WEDDING 
All the functions of the wedding day have a regal feel to it. The wedding party enters the beautifully decorated church to the sound of the choir in the background. Unlike a Western Christian wedding, the groom too walks down the aisle with his family in tow and a close relative, usually sister or sister-in-law, carrying a tray with the Manthrakodi, a Rosary and the Minnu. The bridesmaids and best men follow with the ring bearers. Sweet little flower girls precede the bride who is dressed all in white. The bride walks down the aisle on her father's arm, along with her immediate family.

A typical Catholic wedding mass is not unlike any Sunday mass but for the inclusion of the wedding vows. The mass follows Latin Catholic traditions and is in a mix of Latin and Malayalam. All the prayers, readings and the sermon pertain to marriage and are directed to the couple and the congregation at large.
The bride and groom exchange vows, the minister blesses the Manthrakodi saree, and the groom pledges his life to the bride while tying the Minnu around her neck. Like most Hindu ceremonies, it is tied with three knots. The silk strands of the Minnu are removed after a few days and replaced with a gold chain. Wedding bands are exchanged, following which the groom and his sister drape the Manthrakodi on the bride's bowed head. Doing this, the groom symbolically vows to take good care of his wife and his sister accepts her into the family.

The Kaichuvapu or offertory follows, where both families offer gifts to the church as thanksgiving. Finally, the couple receives their first communion as man and wife, signs the wedding register and leaves the church as husband and wife.

Another typically Hindu trait adopted by the Latin Catholics of Kerala is the ceremony of the bride 'entering' her husband's home. When the newly-weds arrived, Rekha was greeted with jewellery and a rosary. She was then given a lamp to light the Kuthuvilaku as a symbol of bringing light into her new home and thus she marked the start of her new life as Vijo's wife.
kerala beautiful christian bride showing navel and boobs.
As a fitting end to the festivities, the groom's family usually arranges a reception for the couple. This particular reception was bigger than any I've attended with an estimated over 4,000 guests! Music and lively dancing went on through the night, bringing the wedding to an aptly festive close.