Gujarati Wedding Ceremony Traditions: A Step-by-Step Guide for Destination Weddings in Mexico
- Saptapadi Studio
- Aug 8
- 9 min read
Updated: Aug 14
If you’re planning a Gujarati wedding in Mexico, you’re blending centuries of tradition with the beauty of a tropical destination—and the result is pure magic. Whether you're getting married on the white sands of Cancun or the cliffs of Los Cabos, understanding the meaning behind your wedding ceremony rituals helps preserve your heritage, even far from home.
In this post, we walk you through each step of the traditional Gujarati wedding ceremony, with deeper insights into the cultural and spiritual meaning behind each ritual.
🌴 Why Have a Gujarati Wedding in Mexico?
Gujarati weddings are vibrant, meaningful, and full of joy—and they can be beautifully celebrated at many all-inclusive resorts across Mexico. Most destination wedding resorts now welcome Indian weddings and allow sacred fire ceremonies, baraats, and multi-day events. With proper coordination, your mandap can face the Caribbean Sea while honoring every detail of your traditions.
🕉️ The Gujarati Wedding Ceremony – Step by Step
Here is a detailed breakdown of the core rituals performed during a traditional Gujarati wedding ceremony.
1. Baraat & Ponkhana (or Pokhwanu) – The Groom’s Grand Entrance and Welcome
The baraat marks the arrival of the groom and his family at the wedding venue. He is welcomed with music, dancing, and a joyous procession. In many Gujarati weddings, the groom rides a horse or arrives in a decorated car while guests dance to the rhythm of the dhol.
At the entrance, the bride’s mother performs the Ponkhana ritual, welcoming the groom with a traditional aarti (lighted lamp) and applying a red tikka on his forehead. She then tries to grab his nose—a playful and symbolic gesture to remind him to remain humble as he marries her daughter.
💡 Destination Tip: Resorts in Mexico can coordinate horse rentals, vintage cars, or even boats for a beachside baraat!
2. Ganesh Pooja – Blessings Before the Wedding Begins
The ceremony begins with a prayer to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. The priest offers flowers, incense, and mantras to invoke his blessings and ensure the marriage proceeds without challenges.
This ritual is essential before any sacred Hindu ceremony, setting a pure and auspicious tone for everything that follows.
3. Kanya Aagman – The Bride’s Grand Entrance
In one of the most emotional moments of the day, the bride makes her entrance. In Gujarati weddings, she’s often escorted by her maternal uncles or brothers and walks under a phoolon ki chaadar (a canopy of flowers).
As she approaches the mandap, family and guests turn to watch in silence and awe. It is a powerful symbol of transition—from daughter to bride, from one home to another.
💐 This moment is often accompanied by music or singing, and it's one of the most visually iconic parts of a destination wedding.
4. Varmala by Married Couples – A Ritual of Blessing
Before the bride and groom exchange their own garlands during the main ceremony, it is customary in many Gujarati weddings for married couples from both families to place garlands (varmalas) on the bride and groom individually.
This act is a symbol of blessing and acceptance from couples who have already walked the path of marriage. It's a gesture that welcomes the bride or groom into the new family and offers marital harmony and good fortune.
🌼 This ritual typically happens after Ganesh Pooja and before the formal Jaimala (garland exchange)between the bride and groom.
5. Jaimala – The Floral Exchange of Acceptance
Once the groom is seated at the mandap, the bride makes her entrance, often accompanied by her brothers or cousins. The couple then exchanges garlands made of fresh flowers in a ritual called the Jaimala.
This symbolizes mutual acceptance and respect. In many weddings, it turns into a playful moment as friends lift the bride and groom to make it harder for the other to place the garland—a joyful start to the ceremony.
6. Madhuparka – Honoring the Groom
Following the Jaimala, the groom is offered a special drink made of honey, yogurt, and ghee—known as the Madhuparka. This sacred offering is presented by the bride’s parents as a gesture of welcome, signifying their wish that the groom’s life (and the marriage) be sweet and nourishing.
7. Kanyadaan – The Giving Away of the Bride
One of the most emotional rituals in a Gujarati wedding is the Kanyadaan. The bride’s father places her hand into the groom’s while mantras are recited by the priest. This act symbolizes entrusting the daughter’s future to the groom and acknowledging the sacred bond of marriage.
In Hindu tradition, Kanyadaan is considered one of the most selfless acts a parent can perform.
8. Hastmelap & Granthi Bandhan – Joining of Hands and Knot-Tying
After Kanyadaan, the couple performs Hastmelap, where their right hands are joined and wrapped with a sacred thread by the priest. This represents the physical and spiritual union of two souls.
At the same time, the Granthi Bandhan ritual is performed, in which the groom’s shawl (dupatta) is tied to the bride’s saree or lehenga. This knot, also called the lagna-ganth, symbolizes their bond and the start of their journey together as husband and wife.
9. Agni Sthapan – Lighting the Sacred Fire
Before the Mangal Pheras begin, the priest performs the Agni Sthapan ritual, in which the sacred fire is lit in the center of the mandap. The fire, or Agni, is considered the divine witness to the marriage.
The priest places wood, ghee, and herbs into a small copper vessel or on a fire altar, chanting mantras to invite the presence of Agni. The fire represents purity, truth, and the light that will guide the couple’s life together.
In Hindu belief, any vow taken before Agni is unbreakable, making this moment one of the most important in the ceremony.
🔥 In destination weddings in Mexico, resorts often provide a safe setup for the sacred fire, even on the beach, ensuring tradition is honored while meeting safety regulations.
Once the Agni is established, the couple offers grains and ghee into the flames as a symbol of gratitude and commitment before beginning the Mangal Pheras
10. Mangal Phera – The Sacred Fire Rounds
With their garments now tied, the bride and groom walk around the Agni (sacred fire) four times in clockwise direction. Each round—or phera—represents one of the four purusharthas (goals of life) in Hindu philosophy:
Dharma – Fulfilling moral and spiritual duties
Artha – Achieving prosperity and success
Kama – Pursuing love, joy, and emotional fulfillment
Moksha – Seeking spiritual liberation
🔥 Note: Unlike North Indian weddings, which have seven pheras, Gujarati ceremonies typically include four pheras followed by the Saptapadi.
11. Saptapadi – The Seven Sacred Steps
After completing the Mangal Pheras, the bride and groom take seven symbolic steps together, called the Saptapadi. With each step, they make a sacred vow:
Nourishment and health
Strength and support
Prosperity and well-being
Love and happiness
Children and family
Harmony and togetherness
Friendship and lifelong companionship
After completing the seventh step, the couple is officially considered married in the eyes of Hindu tradition.
🌸 Our name, Saptapadi Studio, is inspired by this very ritual. We chose it because of the deep significance and beauty behind the Seven Steps—it’s not just the formal completion of the wedding, but a poetic representation of the journey two people commit to walking together for life. For us, it perfectly symbolizes the love stories we have the honor of capturing.
12. Sindoor & Mangalsutra – Marking the Sacred Union
To seal the marriage, the groom applies sindoor (vermilion powder) to the parting of the bride’s hair and ties the mangalsutra (sacred black and gold necklace) around her neck.
These two items symbolize her new identity as a married woman and are worn as signs of love, protection, and devotion.
13. Akhand Saubhagyavati Ashirwad – Blessings from Married Women
In a sweet and sacred moment, seven married women from the bride’s family bless her by whispering prayers for a joyful married life and offering betel nuts, rice, or flowers.
This blessing ensures that the bride will enjoy a long life of happiness and prosperity with her husband.
14. Ashirwad – Blessings from Elders
To conclude the ceremony, the couple bows down to receive blessings from all elders, including parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. In return, the elders place their hands on the couple’s heads and offer heartfelt ashirwad (blessings).
🙏 This ritual marks the completion of the wedding ceremony and reminds the couple that their union is supported by generations of love
15 .💫 Bonus Step: The Recessional – A Modern Twist for Your Grand Exit
While not part of traditional Gujarati customs, many couples planning a destination wedding in Mexico include a modern recessional after the Ashirwad.
After receiving blessings from their elders, the couple walks back down the aisle together, hand in hand, smiling through a shower of rose petals, marigolds, or biodegradable confetti.
📸 This is one of the best moments for a celebratory photo—joyful, natural, and full of movement.
You can even time this with upbeat music, cheers from your guests, or a petal toss coordinated by your planner or photographer.
🌺 In beach weddings, many couples choose coconut petals or tropical blooms to reflect the location and keep the moment eco-friendly.
This recessional serves as a joyful conclusion to the ceremony, giving you and your guests a way to cheer, celebrate, and transition into the next part of the day—whether that’s a cocktail hour, lunch, or just hugs with loved ones.
📸 Capturing That Grand Exit
At Saptapadi Studio, we love incorporating modern elements like the recessional to tell a full story. We’ll be ready at the end of your ceremony to capture that powerful “just married” walk—from real laughter to the perfect spin of your lehenga or the way you look at each other when the guests erupt into cheers.
16. Vidaai – The Emotional Send-Off
After the wedding rituals and blessings are complete, the ceremony closes with the Vidaai, an emotional farewell where the bride says goodbye to her family as she leaves with her husband.
In Gujarati tradition, the bride may throw a handful of rice over her shoulder, often toward her mother, symbolizing her repayment for all the love, care, and nourishment she received in her childhood home. It's a poetic gesture of gratitude and the beginning of her new life in a new home.
💧 There are often tears, blessings, hugs, and the bittersweet joy of watching your daughter begin her new journey—not just as a wife, but as a woman, a partner, and a pillar of a new family.
In destination weddings, this moment can be personalized. Some couples use:
A symbolic coconut breaking ritual
A special song or letter reading
Boat or golf cart departures from the mandap area
✨ Whether traditional or modern, the Vidaai always brings everyone to tears—and creates powerful storytelling moments.
💬 Final Thoughts: A Ceremony That Honors the Soul
A Gujarati wedding ceremony in Mexico is more than just a beautiful celebration—it’s a spiritual and cultural journey. Each ritual carries centuries of tradition, and when celebrated thoughtfully, it brings just as much meaning in Cancun or Cabo as it would back home in Gujarat.
By choosing to honor these sacred steps in a destination setting, couples are blending legacy with adventure—and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
📸 We Capture Every Sacred Moment
At Saptapadi Studio, we specialize in documenting the full beauty of Gujarati weddings across Mexico. From the emotional Kanyadaan to the vibrant Mangal Pheras, we focus on storytelling through heartfelt, candid photography and cinematic films.
📅 Planning your Gujarati destination wedding? Let’s talk → Contact us
✨ Want to learn more about the beautiful traditions that lead up to the big day?
Read our detailed Gujarati Pre-Ceremony Rituals Guide to discover how Mehndi, Sangeet with Garba and Raas, Pithi, sacred pujas, and Mameru are celebrated at destination weddings in Mexico.