Various ceremonies of Indian wedding

Indian weddings are considered to be grand affairs. These weddings comprise a number of ceremonies, elaborate rituals and customs. The events of the wedding can be divided into pre-marriage, marriage and post-marriage ceremonies. Engagement (sagaai), Sangeet, Mehendi  Rasam, Tilak are some of the traditions which are part of the pre-marriage functions. These rituals are followed by the actual marriage ceremony then ends with the post-marriage party, also known as reception party. Bridal make-up in each of these ceremonies is very important. The bride is supposed to be groomed in different and unique themes in each of these occasions. The time of the ceremony plays a pivotal role in bridal make-up. Another matter of concern is the ethnicity of the bride. Different communities have different outlooks when it comes to make-over of the bride. Yet, there are some key points which form the back bone of any make-up.

Brides are suggested to go for heavy make-up on the actual day of wedding ceremony, which complements their gorgeous wedding ensemble as well as the grandeur of the festive event. On other ceremonies, light make-up is preferable. Attires and ornaments should also be chosen in accordance with the ceremonies. The make-up done should go well with the costume worn by the bride so that the natural beauty of the bride is reflected.

Pre-make-up beauty tips

Before starting the make-up session, it is very important to cleanse the face and neck thoroughly with a good facial cleanser. If one has an oily skin or is prone to sweat profusely, she should rub ice on the face and neck at least for ten minutes. The brides can also use the ready to use masks available nowadays to add instant glow to face. Dry skinned beauties should make sure to use a good moisturizer before make-up but never go for “cold creams” or any other cream that makes your skin greasy as it will darken the complexion.

Make-up tips for Engagement, Sangeet and Mehendi

The shade of the foundation chosen should match the skin tone of the bride. Brides with dark skin can use liquid foundations instead of cream based ones and can even dilute it with water to impart a lighter tone. One should never choose lighter shades of foundations as the incompatible whitish cast on face can make anyone look like a ghost. Prior to using foundations, face primers can also be used to bring about evenness in skin tone.

The next thing to be done is application of compact powder to set the foundation, giving a non greasy and natural finish to the face. The brush should be swiped over the compact base then applied to key highlighting features like cheek bones, nose, forehead, chin and definitely throat and neck. The powder is to be blended with the brush with upward strokes on the cheeks. Using finger tips, one should subtly blend the make-up on the nose and upper lips. While doing make-up of the bride, one should always keep in mind that she should not look “made-up”. It is important to enhance the natural beauty of the bride by camouflaging the not so good traits.

Coming to the eye make-up, the color of the eye-liner chosen should be in accordance to the skin tone of the bride as well as the attire worn. Brides with fairer tones are blessed to experiment with any shades. Dark skinned brides can choose darker shades of jet black or dark brown. They can even try out the metallic hues of green, blue and copper which charms their complexion. The eyes are first properly defined with kohl and eye liner and then followed with mascara. It is suggested to stick to curling mascaras on the pre-wedding functions as voluminous ones may look too garish for the occasion. A proper eye make-up changes the look of the bride considerably. Eye shadows on the upper lids should be in cool shades of pink, peach or even mauve. Golden tones are wide preference amongst the dark skinned people. Glittery eye shadows have an upper edge over the matte ones as they add to the subtle glow. Finally, the shaped eye brows are defined with eye pencils. The majestic appeal of the eyes of the bride enchants everyone present.

Dark gorgeous eyes and luscious red lips are a strict “no-no”. Generally, in pre-marriage functions, light shades of lipsticks go well. Pink, Peach, Mauve, Flaming plum are the suggested shades for wheatish to fair skinned brides. Coffee, Chocolate, Mahogany and Wine are the shades for darker tones. But, care should be taken that if a dark skinned bride opts for any of the above mentioned colors, she should keep her eye make-up minimal with only mascara and eye shadow. The lips are at first skillfully lined with lip liners (which should be of the same color as that of the lipstick) and then filled with lip color. To make the lipsticks stay longer, after applying the first coat, any translucent powder is to be dusted on the lips followed by the second coat of lipstick. It may be finished with a swipe of colorless lip gloss or simply kept matte.

Blushers again should be compatible to the skin tone of the bride. Dark shades of pink, coral and bronze and even plums (for darker complexion) are popular choices. At last, finishing the face make-up with a face sheer or shimmer completes the look of the bride complementing the occasion. Golden glitters work wonder for dark skinned beauties and rose pink glitters are the ones for brides with fair or wheatish skin tones.

Any look or style for wedding ceremonies is incomplete without a “bindi”. The brides are adorned with bindis on the forehead between the eye-brows. The color of the bindis should be according to the attire worn.  The Bengalis prefer red-colored bindis. Thus, bindis have cultural significance which plays an important role in make-over. Similarly, Rajasthani brides are adorned in bright colored stone bindis. Bindis are actually sanctified symbol of any married women like the vermillion (sindoor).

The nails of the bride should be shaped and filed properly and then coated with nail polish. The nail polish should match the color the attire worn. To quickly dry out the nail polish, the bride can dip her hands and feet in water and then follow with the second coat of nail paint.

In the reception parties, the brides can try out lehangas with smoldering eyes and light lipstick. Metallic shades of eye shadows with a matte lipstick can also be an option. It is better to assess from beforehand that which style will go best with the bride. In the mehendi ceremony or sangeet, a good traditional sari or salwar suit in bright coolers, with a tiara on forehead and lots of bangles on hands is considered a good choice which bestows the about to be bride with a look of innocence and grace. Make-up should be kept as minimal as possible, just setting the base with a foundation and defining the eyes with mascara and lips with a tinted gloss. It is better not to over-do it.

Hair should be set in different styles on the different ceremonies. Normally, the hair is tied into a bun on the wedding day in order to secure the head veil. On the reception party, the bride’s hair can be partly tied leaving the rest open. In the engagement, it is a common practice to leave the hair open, styled in a perfectly straight look or set into curls with tongs.

Keeping these points in mind, be ready to don a variety of looks on your wedding bringing a spirit of freshness with each different look.

Raja Kumar