The very thought of weddings can bring to mind various fears, doubts, qualms for any bride. But for South Asian brides of the past, arranged marriages elevated fear of not knowing your husband-to-be, elevated trepidation. The beginning of new life with new people, the adjustments and understanding of new responsibilities could send any bride running. In India, as the bride and groom were not permitted to meet before their marriage, Indian wedding games evolved to make the perfect starter for the newlyweds and their families to get to know each other.. The tradition of many of these games has survived even in today’s modern marriages in which the couple knows each other well before the ceremony.

These traditional wedding games not only break the ice between the couples, but also between their family members. It also makes it easier to get settled down in the family and surroundings. Here are some usual games still in practice:

Types of wedding games:

1. Hide wedding shoes: In every Hindu wedding, the groom is directed to remove his shoes prior to entering the mandap, where holy rituals are performed. The bride’s sister or the maids accompanying her, on finding suitable moment, grab the groom’s shoes and hide them. After the marriage ceremony, groom’s sister-in-law or maids demand a ransom amount from the groom to return the shoes. In this sweet prank, bargaining and negotiations happen between them and the deal is finalized at a handsome amount.
   

   
   

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2. Fish the ring: In this, the couple is made to sit facing each other and with a bowl of milk in front of them. A ring is dropped in the bowl and the newlyweds are asked to find the ring. Whoever gets the ring first is declared as the winner. As per the beliefs, the winner of the game rules the roost for the entire life.
   
3. Pillow game: It’s a fun game for the couple but enjoyed to the brim by the audience. Here the couple is made to sit with their backs to each other and a pillow held between their shoulders. They are later asked question from the relatives, which is answered only by nodding their heads in yes or no direction. Since they cannot see each other they do not know how the other is responding. The questions are lighthearted like, “Will you rule over him/her?” or “Will you pamper like a child if your partner gets angry?” or ” will you kiss your partner now?” or question on their likes and dislikes. According to their score they are also given rankings. The negative scorers are are titled as “I want to know you better-couple” and the high scorers are titled as “Two hearts yet one soul-couple”.
   
4. Unknot Knotted String: This game had been practiced to forecast the future relationship of the couple. Knotted string is a kind of bracelet tied on the hands of, both the bride and the groom. In this too, fun and frolic becomes part of the sight. The couple tries to unknot the complex knots of the string by using one hand.
   
5. Search name: The grooms name is hennaed on the bride hand in tiny letter amidst the crisscrossed mehndi. The groom is asked to find his name on the brides hand and give her a gift. This game gives a simple reason for the groom to hold his brides hand and allows the shy bride to feel the warmth of love without any embarrassment.
   

   
   

For any queries related to the traditional Indian wedding games, Full Circle Eventi‘s team of top wedding organizers is here to assist!