What Happens at a Sikh Wedding?

At first glance, it may seem surprising to hear that if you are attending a Punjabi wedding, there is a good chance it will be conducted as a Sikh wedding ceremony. But this is not surprising. Sikhism originated in Punjab, so it only makes sense that most Sikhs are Punjabi and speak the Punjabi language. As a religion with a rich history and culture, there are many stages to the wedding and various customs you should be aware of.

Whether you are a wedding guest who is not part of the culture or you are simply not up to date with the traditions, you need to know what will be happening in the lead up to the wedding and on the big day itself.

Check out our guide to what to expect at a Sikh wedding.

Sikh wedding ceremonies do not focus on a single day. They are about the process of two people and two families coming together. This may be complicated when the couple are not both Sikh, but a combination of the Sikh culture and another. However, this always produces an absolutely unique wedding experience. Not only for the couple but their families and all of their guests.

The Sikh wedding ceremony is known as "Anand Karaj" which means 'Blissful Union". The Sikh marriage is a very colourful and unique ceremony in which two individuals are joined in a partnership of two equals. The couple will marry in front of the Guru Granth Sahib while the guests gather around the couple, usually with men on one side and women on the other.

There is significant spiritual and religious importance to the act. It is not merely a physical and legal contract but a sacrament, a union of two souls. The spiritual goal of any Sikh is to merge his or her soul (Atma) with God (Parmatma) and in marriage, the couple vow to help each other towards this goal.

The early part of the day is devoted to the religious ceremony which almost always takes place in a Sikh Gurdwara (Sikh temple).

If you are planning on having a Sikh wedding or are part of the wedding party, you’ll need to know how much of a long term commitment you’re getting into. While this is unlikely to be too daunting for the bride and or groom if you’re a close friend helping with planning, it may seem overwhelming.

As with Hindu and Indian weddings, an enormous amount of planning has to go behind a Sikh wedding, not only for the day itself but for potentially several weeks leading up to it. Weddings are often planned a year in advance, with 6 months of pre-planning. This will help you deal with logistics, music, catering, transport, decorations and so much more.

This can depend on what time of day and marriage ceremony is planned. As mentioned before, the morning will be spent at the Gurdwara, which will have a different dress code for the wedding reception afterwards.

When at the Gurdwara, you must ensure that you cover your head and remove your shoes. Modest dress is the order of the day; bare shoulders, plunging necklines and short skirts will be out of place at a religious venue. You will need to sit on the carpeted floor and will be expected to sit cross-legged or otherwise on the floor for at least 45 minutes. This will prove difficult in tight or short clothing, so dress accordingly.

It is a good idea to have a change of clothing for the reception, which will not take place in the Gurdwara. Less modest clothing will be fine for the reception and you can go all out with your dresses. Some ladies prefer to take a shawl that they can throw over their shoulders, and wear trousers to the Gurdwara, with a skirt underneath to change into at the reception. That way your outfit is acceptable at both venues.

In keeping with the lavishness of the wedding, Sikhs enjoy the finest food and desserts during weddings. Food is often served in the Gurdwara after the wedding ceremony. Sikhs are not uniformly vegetarian, so the menus often contain meat dishes. The Sikh diet only insists that the foods are all-natural and as healthy as possible - so as to avoid processed foods and chemicals. As a result, the food served at a Sikh wedding will be freshly made and delicious.

There is a lot of overlap with Punjabi and Sikh food and culture. Expect a lot of dishes you would be familiar with from Punjabi restaurants. This includes some classics like spinach curries (palak/saag paneer), Chickpea curries with bread (Chole bhature), tandoori chicken and karahi Chicken.

They are also less strict about alcohol compared to their Hindu and Muslim cousins, so you can expect there to be drink available. It is frowned upon to consume alcohol anywhere sacred or holy, so you can only really expect it at the wedding reception venue.

Like any wedding, there are a lot of ceremonies and events that occur before the wedding day itself. Instead of stag and hen dos, there are a number of celebrations which involve the couple and their parents, family and friends.

1. Chunni Chadai
2. Maiya
3. Vatna
4. Gana
5. Sangeet
6. Mehndi and Chooda Ceremony
7. Nanki Shak
8. Jago
9. Baraat
10. Milni
11. Kurmai
12. Anand Karaj:
13. Laavan Pheras
14. Karah Prasad:
15. Reception
16. Doli

Here at Ladywood Estate, we can make sure you have the perfect wedding venue for a traditional Sikh wedding reception, with the Pavilion for dining and dancing the night away. Ladywood Estate embraces all faiths and traditions, so while you will have part of the celebration at the Gurdwara, we provide you spaces for any of the pre-wedding celebrations.

We offer one, two or three days of celebrations – the choice is yours. Get in touch today!