Writer's Blog: BEAUTY ABOUNDS WITH DERUSHA & NEIL'S HINDU/CHRISTIAN FUSION WEDDING AT KLEINE ZALZE IN STELLENBOSCH

Derusha and Neil's wedding day was the perfect reminder of the rich tapestry of life, culture and religions on offer in our magical country. The wedding ceremony's were infused with vibrancy and colour and Kleine Zalze, with its rolling lawns and capacious gardens offered the perfect wedding venue for keeping photograph fresh, elegant and timeless.

Bangles are not only is not only an ornament, but also an important part of womanhood and honour, boasting great sentimental value.(http://marriage.sudesh-kumar.com/2010/03/significance-of-bangles-or-chudi-in.html)

Wedding ceremonies in India are largely elaborate and filled with many interesting rituals and customs, with the presence of ceremonial fruits and flowers, all adding to the colour and vibrancy of the occassion.

Central to the Hindu ceremony is the Valam Varuthal, where the bridal couple walk around the canopy 3 times to seek blessings of peace.

Guru Krishna exhibiting the perfect blend of custom and humour during the 'Exchanging of the garlands' ceremony which is done to show mutual expectation and equality.

The Havan is the holy fire ceremony, where the fire-deity (or the Sacred fire) is primary witness of a Hindu marriage. By law, no Hindu marriage is deemed complete unless seven encirclements have been made around the Sacred Fire by the bride and the groom together.

Coconut plays a vital role in all rituals. The coconut is a satvic fruit, considered sacred, pure, clean, and health giving, It is offered in the sacrificial fire and is broken and then placed before the Lord.

At the end of any ritualistic worship, the priest places a coconut in the lap of the woman, thus filling her lap as it is the main symbol of fertility. The coconut resembles the human head in many ways - the coir outside resembles the human's tuft of hair, the hard nut the skull, the water inside the blood and the kernel is akin to the mental space.

The marquee was perfectly poised on the edge of the pool to add to the coolness and astounding colour of the occasion. (http://twinflame-events.blogspot.com/)

Tying of the thaali - On the wedding day, a yellow thread is prepared by using turmeric paste and is tied around the bride's neck with three knots during the marriage ceremony while the priest recites Vedic hymns and partakes in prayers. The groom then ties the'mangalsutra' (sacred necklace) around the bride's neck on the day of the wedding, thereby giving her the status of wife and their nuptial bond.

Thilak - the groom applies a red dot to the brides forehead to signify her new marital status. The 'bindi' is arguably the most visually fascinating of all forms of body decoration. Hindus attach great importance to this ornamental mark between the two eyebrows -- a spot considered a major nerve point in the human body and the seat of concealed wisdom. Traditional bindi is red or maroon in colour. A pinch of vermilion powder applied skillfully with practiced fingertip make the perfect red dot. (http://hinduism.about.com/od/bindis/a/bindi.htm)