It all started with…. Oh well I don’t remember how it all started. But yeah...it started long back...when my sister and this guy she studied with...eventually fell in love..(Like most people)...and what love!!!
There was nonstop night long messaging...and hence the dark circles!!...there were fights which would only get solved with a gift...from both to both of them (like one of those gift exchange games on Christmas in school...remember??) ...my sister for almost a month...dressed up pink…. This kind of went with her own skin color as she blushed each time the phone buzzed (which did quite frequently)...there were flowers of all kinds in her books..umm ..so you get what "love" I am talking about..

They went around for a good, long while...but it was time to say bye bye to all that...the messaging. The calls...the dates on the weekends..the movies ....because..they had decided... they just did not have time for each other, they were so busy...who had time to pick up the phone and disturb the other one in their preparations...well ya..They had decided to get married!! Ever since then till the last function
I don’t remember the last time I stayed on bed for more than six hours (c’mon it was my holidays and winters)...I..who had not even seen the most famous places around even though I’ve lived in Delhi all my life...now, knew each shop and market that sold anything ever needed for a wedding!!
going to Karol bagh was once.. A mission as it was like in the other corner of the state..as I live in south Delhi. And there I had days when each morning we’ll leave to shop and come back only after dark...with hands full of shopping bags (oh both hands I mean, and each bag with more than one things)..
the shopping itself started 6 months back, and you wouldn’t believe, how my(other) sister and I looked in for 20 samples for even the tray that is used to keep the ring for the ring ceremony.(and is never even used again) The days went in excitement but the nights were oh so painful…no..Not by the drain of emotions that our sister was leaving us for her new house or something but by real pain in the legs as we shopped all day, every day!!
Well as per what I saw in movies that around this time, the bride and her family always have that “I’ll miss you” expression and wet eyes...evrytime the father looked at his daughter, he would have the flashbacks of how he played with her, her mother would get flashbacks of how she taught her the domestic work…and if she had siblings, they would only get to remember the fights and making up scenes, and how each one of them is in perfect dresses and such awesome make up even if it’s a ceremony at 5 in the morning and some DDLJ wedding music playing in the background…. but all this…is NOT TRUE…(damn you Bollywood). They never tell you that the bride would be packing her stuff till she leaves for the parlors, other people might look horrible as they never found the time to even wash their faces.. or…. Or that her sisters would be running to get the last minute small things to the market, and all of them would miss almost all the meals of the day. I tell you, never decide on the menu with your favorite stuff…because it’s so painful( this time, emotionally) to see people hogg on things that you love and you don’t even get to smell it!!
I am not against weddings or anything, in fact this was a much awaited event for the whole family. Weddings are of course very special…but nobody ever writes about the after effects. Ok the process that the girl leaves her house, it’s sad,..emotional..heavy..but also..very funny!!
Never noticed??? From the very first function, the roka (for us)..try and listen to the very quiet conversations between the guests. “khana te koi kamaal ni ega” (opening their mouth before even forming the new bite in their hand because actually the food was great) or…”shagun kinaa du..ik sau ik kaafi si”
hahahah…oh my god!!Next…the ring ceremony..well..it was a heavy moment for us as my sister was the first one who was getting married in our family,and all that stuff..but I don’t know how this particular aunty always managed to come right behind us as soon as we dropped a tear…awee.. I first felt so nice. She even risked her white sari to my mascara that came off with the tears but she stayed for me…till…the camera did!! You know being the immediate family; we were of course most of the time on camera. U would always find these one or two people who would act extra sweet to you and show as if they are the only ones who you listen to and only they can make you feel better, and they have always been doing that for you..nobody else. Nobody!! They suddenly become that one shoulder that you find the most comfortable to cry on.( I had never seen that lady ever before)

Finally the day came..the day of the wedding..since it was the first one, we didn't quite know that it wouldn't be those.. everything on time kinda wedding but yeah..we had managed quite well with the preparations. Okay…over prepared in a way. Taking care of even the kinds of napkins to be served with the plates and the designs on the spoons…worrying about what would people say.. well this,Not actually us but our grandmother… ”chaar log kya sochenge”
uff..i so wanna meet these “chaar log” who have been interfering in all our decisions as personal as what to wear , where to go..these four people are sitting somewhere, judging us, deciding for us. Don’t they have a family of their own??!!(on second thoughts…I hope not.. :P)

Ya so…the wedding went all good, I must say it wasn't so easy to pull it off. But to add on the tension and comedy…on this day, u would find people who come only for
1) FREE food
2) to criticize the decoration
3) to tell the DJ to play only their favorite songs…or
4) TO SPREAD CONFUSIONS. (This being one of the hugest secret motives)
 it wasn't difficult because we had no experience, or…we were scared or anything, but..Because these so called important people, old looking aunties and…uncles who reach the venue even before the family does..and walk like the supervisor ( you know, with their hands clasped at the back) all around instructing the waiters….and not to forget, these are the same people who dance so embarrassingly with the barat..that you might just regret even calling them.
and how I tell you..the difficulty…strength and patience it needed…to see all this happen and not let these people know that they were actually useless. Really!! A Hindu wedding with a countless rituals is confusing as it is…and to figure out who told us the right procedures to do things and who just made random guesses…was!! Funny!!
Anyhow, cheers to the intelligent family I have, we managed to pull it off so well. Trust me, look around and observe the next time you are in a wedding..you will surely come across these typical situations of comedy in an indian wedding... enjoy!!