Friday
The Christian/Traditional Western ceremony will take place Friday, February 22, 2019 at the Clinton Presidential Library at 5:30p.m.
Christian ceremony is typically around 30 minutes in duration and typically involves vow and ring exchange. Following this will be a cocktail hour where you can mingle with other guests. Afterward, there will be a reception with food, plenty of drinks, and dancing.
Saturday
Mid day Saturday around noon will be a Mehndi ceremony.
In a typical Mehendi ceremony, all of the women in the bride and groom's families, along with close friends, gather together while the bride has elaborate henna designs applied to her hands and feet.
On Saturday evening at 6:00p.m, there will be the Sangeet. A Sangeet is a Hindu celebration that occurs prior to the marriage. It often involves dancing and performances by family and friends. Dinner will be served as well.
This is an opportunity for both sides of the family to meet each other and have a great time.
Both of these events will take place in the Little Rock Marriott.
Sunday
Sunday morning will be the Hindu ceremony. It will start at 8:00 with the Baraat. A Baraat is the groom’s procession to the place of the wedding. This is very festive as the groom usually arrives in a fancy car or sometimes riding a horse or an elephant. The groom is greeted by the bride’s family and then escorted to the wedding mandap. A mandap is a elaborate covered structure with pillars where the wedding ceremony takes place.
Following the arrival of the bride, the ceremony begins. Hindu ceremonies involve several steps and traditionally last a few days to weeks at a time. However, modern ceremonies in the states on auspicious days last only a few hours.
Following the ceremony, there will be a jazz brunch reception that will last until approximately 3-4:00p.m.
The wedding events vary from region to region, but here is a general overview. Programs will also be provided that will outline the steps in both wedding ceremonies.