Tamil Muhurtham dates are chosen with utmost care after a careful consideration of the birth stars of the bride and groom. Each and every ritual in the Tamil Brahmin Iyer wedding is to be done at a particular date and time. Pandal kaal muhurtham is performed three days before the marriage ceremony. 

Viratham or Vratham is an important ritual conducted by the bride and groom’s family separately in the Kalyana mandapam. It is a fast that is done usually a day before the Tamil Hindu brahmin wedding. In this ritual, both the groom and bride families fast for the prosperity and well-being of the to-be-weds. Viratham irukum murai (steps followed for fasting) in a Tamil Iyengar wedding is far more elaborate for the groom than the bride. 

Nichayathartham or the Engagement ceremony is one of the Tamil Iyengar pre-wedding ceremonies where the groom and bride families come together and commit the wedding. 

The Background
The Naandi ceremony is a ritual in the Tamil Iyengar wedding that is performed to please the Naandi Devtas. Referred to as Pitrus, Naandi Devtas are the ancestors who have departed. It is believed that the Pitrus lay the foundation for the creation of the physical body. Therefore, it is important to pay gratitude to the ones who created us. Not only at weddings, even during all auspicious events they are the first ones to be thanked and prayed to. 

Fertility Ceremony
Pallikai Thellichal is another beautiful pre wedding custom of the Tamil Iyengar Brahmin wedding. The ritual symbolises the auspicious beginning of a new family. Earthen pots are prepared the day before the ceremony. A sand bed is formed on top of which mango leaves are spread. The earthen pots are now placed on the mango leaves. Some people may wish to decorate these pots with sandalwood powder and vermillion(kumkum).

Sumangali is a term for a married woman whose husband is still alive. Sumangali poojai is one of the rituals that is associated with the wedding. While some families perform this pooja before the wedding (mostly in the bride’s family), there are some that conduct this pooja after the wedding, when its conducted by the bridegroom’s family. It is one of the special poojas that follows the customs of each family.

Imagine being able to shop stress-free and budget-friendly, all from the comfort of your own home? Here are a few popular online wedding shopping options this season to make life easy and your wedding trousseau a dream come true:
 
Natasha Couture
Visit www.natashacouture.com for beautiful lehengas, sarees, wedding gowns and plenty more mesmerizing wedding outfits. 

After the numerous wedding rituals and ceremonies come to the much-awaited honeymoon. Many Indian couples prefer to pick honeymoon destinations abroad to engage in exploring a new country together in their own privacy.

The Indian wedding is incomplete without a bridal trousseau box. Every bride takes her time to collect her favourite outfits, accessories and so on to make sure she is ready for any event that follows her wedding. Here is a checklist to ensure you have everything to look glam while planning your wedding trousseau:
 
The Saree
No self-respecting Indian wedding trousseau comes without the saree. You can choose to include a silk saree, a designer saree, a lace saree and so on. Get creative by packing different blouses to mix and match your outfits.

Indian Weddings can become a seamless affair if all the planning and arrangements to make the wedding perfect are in place. However, it’s easy to miss out on trivial things under so much pressure with a deadline. That is where a handy wedding day checklist of things-to-do will help. You can also look into the online checklists like The Knot, Weddingz or Magnet Street for assistance.