Indian Wedding Customs and Etiquette
Why married women wear sindoor and toe rings, what guests should wear, wedding superstitions, and the do's and don'ts families follow.
These guides explain the unwritten rules around an Indian marriage. How to behave at the first meeting between two families. What can and cannot be done in Chaturmas. Why certain customs exist, and which ones families still follow.
Customs change from region to region and even from house to house. A Tamil family and a Punjabi family will answer the same question differently. So we say where a custom comes from, and when the decision is yours, we suggest asking your family priest or elders.
Dates in these posts are checked against Drik Panchang and Prokerala.
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All Guides on Customs and Etiquette
Customs and EtiquetteWhat to Wear to a South Indian Wedding, for Women and MenGuest outfits for Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Kerala weddings: which silk sarees and men's veshti, panche or mundu fit each state, how the early morning muhurtham changes what you wear, colours to skip, temple rules, the banana-leaf lunch and what to wear to the evening reception.6 min read
Customs and EtiquetteWhy Do Married Women Wear Payal?Payal as part of solah shringar, why anklets are silver, regional names and customs from jhanjhar to kolusu, the gift of payal to a new bride, what the "scientific reasons" really rest on, and tips for daily wear.5 min read
Customs and EtiquetteChaturmas Do's and Don'ts, and What Families Can Still DoChaturmas 2026 dates, why weddings pause, which ceremonies families avoid, what is still allowed (roka, biodata, kundli, registration), food rules, Jain Chaturmas, and planning for the first muhurat.5 min read
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