Wedding Games

The bridesmaids play a key role in this game. It is the norm that both the bride and the bridegroom have to remove their shoes before they enter the mandap for performing their wedding ceremonies. Here, the bridesmaids get in action to steal the groom's shoes and hide them. When the wedding ceremonies are complete and the newly married couple leaves the mandap, the bridesmaids surround the groom him and put a demand for a preposterously high amount of money before they return his shoes. There is lot of cajoling and pleading and the groom is trapped as he has to pay good amount in exchange for his shoes.

Traditionally, the bride gets her Bridegroom's name tattooed on her hennaed hand. Since the name is intertwined in the intricate patterns of the bride's mehndi, so he has to trace it. This playful ceremony gives the newly weds a welcome opportunity to hold hands and feel closeness.

This game involves hiding the bridegroom's wedding ring in a vessel containing colored water. Here the bride and her brother are given three chances to look for the hidden ring, which is moved vigorously in the colored water.

This game is played when the newly wed couple arrives at the groom's house. His sisters block the entrance door when the bride arrives at her husband's house. The sisters point to a covered heap which is supposedly the family deity and ask the bride to bow her head before it and uncover it before entering. The bride dutifully bows her head while all the surrounding women burst out laughing as the cover is pulled off which reveals a pile of old footwear arranged in the form of a mound. The game leads to much laughter and everyone becomes friendly with the bride.

In this game the bride is given a knotted string to unwind and this tradition is an attempt to predict the married life of the couple. The newly wed couple uses only one hand each to unravel the knots. It is believed that the speed with they open the knots, they will tide over the difficulties and struggles of life together. The groom's sister is given the role of the "knot-tier" and it is in her indiscretion to make it easy or difficult. Further in some castes, both the bride and the groom are traditionally made to a sacred thread with dry turmeric which is knotted around their right wrists. Both are supposed to untie the other's thread using only their left hand.

In this game, a pillow is placed between the shoulders of the bride and groom who are made to sit with their backs to each other. After that, there is a round of questions and they have to only reply in "Yes" or "No" just by nodding their heads. They are lighthearted questions such as, "Will you pamper your partner if he/she gets angry", "Is he/she your dream partner" or "Who will the boss at home" etc. the gathering enjoys this session whether the bride and groom answers similarly or differently to each query. On the basis of scores, they are given the title - "I want to know you better - couple" in case the score is low or "Two hearts yet one soul - couple" if score is high.

This game is played at the beginning of the ceremony to tease the bride. When the bride and the groom arrive at the altar, they are supposed to put garlands around each other's necks. Since the groom is usually taller than the bride, he stands erect and doesn't bend in order to express to the to-be wife that he will not compromise in the marital relationship.

Here, the wedding ring is placed and moved around in a bowl of milk. The bride and the groom put their hands into the bowl, and find the ring. One who pulls out the ring is believed to be the dominant partner in the relationship, who will take all the decisions in the married life.