Cultural Wedding Library
Ceremony-by-ceremony deep-dives on Indian, Chinese, Persian, Punjabi Sikh, and other cultural weddings. Written by editors who have been to many of them.
Mayian: The Pre-Wedding Ritual Explained
A careful guide to the Punjabi mayian ritual: the vatna paste, the seven married women, where it fits in the wedding sequence, and how it differs from haldi.
The Modern Tea Ceremony: Hosting One Without a Dai Kam Jie
A step-by-step guide to running your own Chinese wedding tea ceremony, including what to say, who gets served when, and how to handle envelopes.
Jaggo: The Pre-Wedding Night, Modernized
The Punjabi jaggo explained: lit copper pots, late-night singing, who hosts, and how diaspora families have adapted it for condos and townhouses.
Setting Up a Sofreh Aghd: The Complete Shopping List
Every element of a traditional Persian sofreh aghd, where to source them, and what to skip. A working shopping list from someone who built her own.
Desi Wedding: Multi-Day, Multi-Family, One Platform
How to actually coordinate a three to seven day desi wedding across multiple venues, families, and cultural factions without losing your mind.
The Persian Wedding Guide: Sofreh Aghd, Aghd, and Aroosi
A Persian wedding, from khastegari to aroosi, explained by someone born in Tehran and married in Vancouver. With the meaning behind every element of the sofreh.
What the Dai Kam Jie Actually Does (And Why You Want One)
The dai kam jie is part MC, part ceremony director, part family diplomat. Here is what she really does, what she costs, and how to find a good one.
Baraat: From Horse to Reception in One Day
The groom's procession, demystified: what a baraat is, how to plan one in a North American city, and the permits and logistics no one mentions.
Chinese Wedding Traditions: Tea Ceremony, Guo Da Li, and the Modern Banquet
A working guide to the full Chinese wedding: Guo Da Li gifts, the tea ceremony, door games, and a ten-course banquet. Written by someone who planned one.
Anand Karaj: The Sikh Wedding Ceremony Guide
A careful guide to the Anand Karaj: the four laavan, the granthi's role, what guests wear, and how the gurdwara protocol actually works.
The Haldi Ceremony: Meaning, Timing, and What to Buy
A practical guide to the haldi ceremony: what it means, when to hold it, who hosts, and the shopping list that will save your sister's carpet.
What Is a Sangeet? The Music-Night Primer
A plain-English guide to the sangeet: what it is, how it runs, what it costs, and why it is not a rehearsal dinner.
Mehndi Ceremonies: Everything You Need to Plan One
What a mehndi ceremony actually is, how to book an artist, and the regional differences that most planning guides miss.
The Indian Wedding: Every Ceremony, Cost, and Timeline Explained
A working editor's guide to every ceremony in an Indian wedding, what each one actually costs, and the timeline that keeps families sane.