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Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day; may it be in a far away place in India, America, and London or in countries like Bangladesh. Bangladeshi brides love to get dressed in bright and colors on their wedding day. Fashion designers today bring forth pretty and elegant designs in bridal dresses so that every bride can fulfill her dreams. This gives them a blend of both traditional and the modern look. Every bride is exceptionally particular about everything in her bridal outfit right from sari, make up, jewelery, and footwear.

The brides in Bangladesh love to adorn themselves with heavy jewellery from top to bottom. The various jewellery articles worn by the Bangladeshi brides include necklaces, earrings, nose rings, rings, bangles, armlets, panjas, waistbands, toe rings and anklets. Some modern brides although choose sophisticated and light jewelery items that match their apparel and give them an elegant look.

Red is a predominant color in the bridal dresses when it comes to Bangladeshi brides. The color red dominates their wedding jewelery as well and hence their jewelery items contain red rubies studded in gold. If you are getting married, you can choose to wear Kundan or Meenakari jewelery other than the simple gold Jewelle available in the market. Other colors that you can club with red for your bridal dress to make it colorful are shades of maroon and pink.

In Bangladesh, the brides love wearing bright red Banarasi sari in silk with work of rich brocade and zari border. Bangladeshi brides can also pick a sari rich in embroidery to look equally stunning and gorgeous. Muslim brides may choose to wear Garara or Lehnga. With the fashion trends changing, you can also pick your jewelery studded with diamonds and some precious stones like pearls, topaz and sapphires. When you do this, make sure that your Jewelle goes well with the dress and does not look too heavy. Also, you should be able to carry off the jewelery well.

Wedding is an auspicious occasion for everyone irrespective of whichever religion you are from. If you are a Bangladeshi Muslim bride you definitely have the option of wearing the traditional Lehenga Cholis as your bridal outfit. But if you want to give your lehenga choli a fashionable and stylish look, pick embroidered lehenga cholis in contrasting colors. Pick a dress made of fabrics like chiffon, tussar, woven silk, crepe and crinkled tissue. Bridal dresses designed with these latest fabrics will definitely make you look like a superstar on your wedding day.

If you wish to wear a saree on your wedding day, then you can pick any designer embroidery saree as these are in huge demand. Many muslim brides choose to wear embroidered sarees with rich brocade work. Also, if you have a good budget and would like to wear something that makes you look extraordinarily royal and spectacular, then you can wear sarees that contain diamonds and precious stones. The only thing you need to do on your wedding is to choose a dress that you like and the one that fits you perfectly. You are one of the most beautiful brides in the world and thus you truly deserve the best.

Like in most many of the world, wedding ceremonies in Bangladesh are celebrated with pomp and zest. Generally, two types of marriages are prevalent in Bangladesh – Muslim marriages and the Hindu marriages. Although there are a number of rituals which are different in these two weddings, they have a lot in common as well. It is a delight to see a traditional wedding ceremony in Bangladesh.

Wedding Preludes

Nearly two days before the wedding day, a pre-marriage ritual takes place at the bride’s home. It is a Henna ceremony, where the new bride’s hands and feet are embellished with Henna. In Bangladesh it is often termed as the Mehendi Sondha. It is an informal gathering of the women folks of the family, mostly the bride’s relatives and close friends.

The next day, that is the morning before the wedding day, a ritual called ‘gaye holud’ or turmeric ceremony takes place at the bride’s home. As part of the ritual, the groom’s family, except the groom, comes to the bride’s house and presents her gifts, mostly sarees, jewelries, sweets and other traditional gifts. The groom’s family also brings in turmeric paste which is put all over her face and her body. The ceremony is followed by both Hindus and Muslims in Bangladesh and is considered to very auspicious. The same turmeric is then taken for the groom and the same ritual is celebrated at the groom’s house.

Wedding ceremony

The wedding preludes are more or less the same for both the Muslims and Hindus in Bangladesh. However, the wedding rituals are quite different.

For Muslim, on the day of wedding, the couple is made to sit close to each other in the presence of a Muslim priest called a Kazi. Both the bride and the groom are surrounded by their respective relatives and friends. The kazi asks for consent from the bride and the groom and with their consent sanctifies the marriage. The family of the groom has to give monetary compensation to the bride. This is known as Mahr. The couple offers sweets to each other. The marriage ceremony is followed by music, dance and a feast. A Walima or a wedding reception is normally organized the next evening at the groom’s place. The couple dresses traditionally and greets their friends, relatives and all the invitees. A wedding feast is arranged at the occasion.

For Hindus in Bangladesh, the groom and his family arrives at the bride’s house on the wedding evening. The groom is greeted with bells and conch shells by the bride’s mother. The wedding is performed in the presence of the priest, who chants the mantras. The couple then exchanges garlands and the groom puts vermillion on the bride’s forehead. The Vidaai ceremony takes place the next day when the bride leaves her paternal home to move to the groom’s place. A bou baran ceremony that is welcoming the new bride takes place at the groom’s house followed by several rituals. A reception is held the next evening at the groom’s pllace.

Seeking blessings from elders remain a key part of the wedding ritual for both Muslims and Hindus in Bangladesh.

The day you have been waiting for with hope in your heart and expectation in your eyes will be here soon.

You wish to look your very best on this special day of your life, like every other bride across the universe.

You will of course be the cynosure of all eyes at the wedding, and you want everything to be picture perfect and flawless, right from your hair to your bridal finery, and most important of all, you want your accessories to stand out.

Let me offer some tips for you to make that special day even more special, and a day to remember forever!

• Whether you have chosen to wear a lehenga or a sari, you would need to make sure that the jewelry you have chosen will go well and harmonize with the colors of your clothes. For instance, if you have chosen to wear a sari with gold zari embroidery, you would look great in gold jewelry with perhaps a few glittering diamonds thrown give you that extra glow. If you wore silver accessories, it may not go well with the gold zari work on your sari, and you may not look your best.
• You could try choosing precious stones according to the color of your sari or lehenga. For instance, accessories created with rubies would go perfectly with your bridal red, blue sapphires would complement your blue lehenga.
• Do not ignore your shoes! Make sure they match the overall design of your outfit and serve to synchronize the entire ensemble. Most Bangladeshi brides prefer to wear gold colored shoes because they suit the rest of what the bride is wearing; silver colored shoes would suit you as well.
• A Bangladeshi Hindu bride wears beautifully created exotic ‘bindis’ placed in the middle of her forehead. Today, bindis are available in a large variety of designs and patterns, and if you are prepared to pay the price, you may choose the bindis adorned with expensive crystals or semi-precious stones. These glitter on the forehead and add glamour to the occasion!
• Your hair will probably be covered with the veil, but do not overlook dressing it up with flowers or small stones placed cleverly here and there. It will make a huge difference to the final look!

For the Bangladeshi groom too, accessories are very important, if at least so that the bride does not outshine him at every juncture!

A Bangladeshi groom wears a turban or ‘pagri’ to cover his hair. The turban can be chosen with special care for the wedding, so that it complements the bride’s dress, and also lends the groom the air of specialness on his wedding day. A pagri can be colorful, or made with gold brocade, to match the outfit he wears. If you are a Bangladeshi groom, let me give you a few tips to look your best on this lovely day!

• Usually, a Bangladeshi groom wears a little jewelry, like for instance the pearl and bead necklace popularly called ‘kantha’.  This adds glamour and style to the sherwani or achkan or kurta-pyjama you have chosen to wear for your wedding day.
• Your shoes too will have to be chosen with care; if you are wearing a traditional outfit, you must choose traditional footwear like the all time favorite juttis or mojris embellished with zari work or with sparkling stone work. Of course, if you chosen to wear Western clothes, you must choose formal shoes in sober colors.

Remember; you must accessorize well to achieve that perfectly put together look. After all, your wedding day is for you to shine forth in splendor and glory in the attention you receive!

Weddings in Bangladesh are all about color, music, dance and celebration. There are a thousand small details to be taken care of, such as the design of the wedding invitations sent out to friends and family, the decoration at the venue, the clothes that the bride and groom must wear, the food to be served to the assembled guests, and so on and so forth. At a Bangladeshi wedding, everything has to be the best, of course, and must meet the approval of both the families.

How does one go about planning the three to four day function? Should the wedding be set according to a theme? Must the venue match the theme of the wedding? In today’s world, where everything is conducted on a grand scale, Bangladeshi brides and grooms and their families seem to agree that no expenses must be spared to make this beautiful day a memorable one and a grand success.

Okay, let us start at the beginning. I will tell you about a Bangladeshi wedding I attended recently. My friend was the bride, and she was naturally tensed and worried about the wedding that would take place the next day. I spotted her parents, however, strolling around with beautiful smiles writ large about their faces. Naturally, they were not worried about their daughter’s impending wedding; they had arranged for a wedding planner who would take care of all the details.

I asked the wedding planner to give me a few details on how his agency went about planning a Bangladeshi wedding, and this is what he told me:

• The key is to start your wedding planning early. After the date has been fixed, the next step is to decide on the venue depending on your planned budget. Also, make sure you maintain a file of everything right from the very beginning, as this will provide you with a ready reference guide at any time.
• Decide on the clothes you will be wearing for the wedding, and take your time to go shopping and to decide on what suits you best.
• Decide at this time if you will have a theme for your wedding, and if your clothes will be coordinated with the colors used to decorate the venue.
• You will need to appoint these people: a florist and decorator for the venue, a venue manager, an excellent caterer, a group of musicians or a DJ, a photographer and a henna artist, to name just a few. You will also need to find out about hiring a horse for the Baraat.
• Don’t forget to spend some time designing your wedding invitation, and include a map if you think it is necessary.
• Start buying the gifts to be given to your relatives, and make sure you mark and label each one immediately.
• Book a good hotel room for your wedding night.
• Make your plans for your honeymoon destination, and make your bookings as required.

If you have appointed a wedding planner, all your wedding plans would be taken care of by them. However, you can do it yourself, with a little foresight and preparation.

Enjoy your wedding; this is the best day of your life, and it is your time to bask in the attention of all the guests present.

All the best!

Bangladesh is known for its rich traditional music and dances, and when it is a Bangladeshi wedding we are talking about, it would be sufficient to say that it is a feast for the five senses. The vibrant colors of the clothes worn by the assembled guests, the swishing of the gorgeous silks worn by the men and women, and the harmonious sounds of the different musical instruments playing synchronously: all these and more will greet the wedding guest! You must remember that Bangladesh is a veritable melting pot of diverse cultures, and this fact is reflected in the music and dance of the country. A Bangladeshi wedding will therefore showcase some of the finest music and dances, and guests will enjoy themselves greatly as they dance and sing with the rest of the guests at the wedding!

Let me tell you a little of the diversity of Bangladeshi music. The music can be traditional, modern or folk, and at a Bangladeshi wedding, you can expect a blend of all three forms. Some of the prevalent folk songs and music traditions in Bangladesh are these: Bhatiali, Baul, Marfati, Murshidi and Bhawaiya. At a typical Bangladeshi wedding, the music can be a blend of any of these forms, and can be accompanied by these traditional old folk instruments: the Banshi or bamboo flute, the Dhole or wooden drums, the Ektara, a single stringed instrument, and the Mandira. These instruments are used in weddings today for songs set to foot tapping music. However, music for the wedding dances would not be complete without including the more modern day Guitar, Drums, Saxophone, and the versatile Synthesizer.

Bangladeshi dances show the distinctive influence of the traditional Indian classical dance forms, Bharathanatyam and Mohiniyattam, although Bangladesh has indeed developed its own striking blend of dance forms and styles. Of course, at a Bangladeshi wedding, you need not ‘know’ any particular dance form; all you would have to do is join in the ongoing fun and laughter with the other guests including the bride and the groom, and participate joyously in the occasion!

I am sure you must be curious about whether or not Qawwalis are used at Bangladeshi weddings! For those of you who do not know what a Qawwali is, it is a glorious form of traditional music dating back almost 700 years! Qawwalis were performed at Sufi shrines in older times, but today, thanks to the efforts of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan the talented Pakistani singer, Qawwalis have become popular at Bangladeshi weddings too! Qawwalis are performed as a group, and are accompanied by the tabla, the dholak and by rhythmic clapping. Some Qawwalis today are set to racy Bollywood numbers, and can be performed while the guest help themselves to the buffet spread out for them. Guests can start dancing to these peppy numbers before they have eaten, or immediately afterward.  The general idea is that the bride and the groom and all their guests must have a lot of fun at the wedding, and how else can this be accomplished other than by song and dance?!

Now you know what to do when you are invited for a Bangladeshi wedding: put on your dancing shoes and go for it! Have fun!

Weddings are a great affair in Bangladesh as in most other parts of the world. Generally, two types of marriages are prevalent in Bangladesh – Muslim weddings and Hindu weddings. The concept of exchanging gifts is also common in all Bangladeshi weddings. There are certain common wedding gifts that can be gifted to Bangladeshi couples, irrespective of whether they are Hindus, Muslims or from other religion or community. There are certain common items such as flowers, souvenirs, dresses and decorative home and kitchen items that you can gift newly-wed couples. However, there are certain gifts which are preferred in traditional Muslim and Hindu weddings in Bangladesh.

Muslim Bangladeshi wedding

If you are attending a Muslim wedding in Bangladesh, there are a certain unique gift items you can consider for the couple. At the same time, you should avoid certain items. You should remember never to gift alcohol to a traditional Muslim couple. This is because drinking alcohol is prohibited in Islam and this can be a bit offending.

Kitchen and home décor – The safest and the best gifts you can consider for the newly-wed Muslim couple is kitchen and home décor items. Depending on your budget, you can perhaps buy a glass dinner set, kitchen utensil set, soup bowl set, fruit bowls, blender and juicer. You can also gift the couple decorated dining table cloth and mats, coasters and cutlery holders. As far as home décor items are concerned, you can buy designer flower vase, crystal flowers, wooden and crystal animals and other small souvenirs. Newly married Muslim couples would also appreciate gifts such as Iranian carpets, satin bed spreads and cushion covers as well as curtain sets.

Books and artwork – In Bangladeshi Muslim weddings, a very popular gift you can offer is an Islamic book on marriage that would give the newly weds an idea about the ethos and conducts after wedding. It will also help the couple understand each other better. Islamic artworks such as paintings and mini carving and statues look wonderful when you give them as a gift to young couples, but make it a point it conveys an optimistic message.

Bride’s gift – If you are a woman visiting a Bangladeshi Muslim wedding, you can get a gift for the bride. One of the best gifts for women is the Hijab. These come in beautiful colors and designs. You can also gift bags and wallets. Besides, gifting cosmetics, such as body creams, perfumes, compacts and facial sets are also popular in Bangladesh.

Hindu Bangladeshi wedding

As a prominent section of the Bangladeshi population practices Hinduism, if you go to a traditional Hindu wedding, there are certain gifts you can consider. Jewelry box, perfumes, flowers and home décor items are highly preferred by Hindu couples in Bangladesh. Kitchen utensils including dinner set, soup bowls and cutleries are also ideal gift items for the newly-weds.

You can also gift the newly married couples small crystal, wooden and brass statues and paintings of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Dhakai and taant sarees and suit pieces are also preferred by women in Bangladesh. However, try to avoid the color black, which is not considered to be an auspicious color by the Hindus, especially at weddings.