When marriages are made in Bhoologam... - "Sarees all the way!"

Remember Rukmini's kalyanam? I might (not) be over exaggerating when I say "Saree(s) are more important in the wedding than the groom" (Disclaimer #1: Definitely not the case in my wedding, that's around the corner! Disclaimer #2: Hubby-to-be rocks! Disclaimer #3: End of Disclaimers...).

It's not just the groom who gets intimidated by a six yard silk saree (an additional 3 yards incase of a Tam-Brahm, of which we can talk in length a lil later!), it is also the entire family and friends circle! Literally every member gets to decide (with totally guided assistance from the bride herself) on what to wear (rather what not to wear) based on what the bride wears! It's not just the groom's attire, but also the wedding hall decorations, floral arrangements, garlands and a whole bunch of wedding planning that totally and entirely depends on the bride's saree(s)! (Gosh, I am so lucky to be on the luckier side :P) Come on, it's nice to have the right contrast on the wedding photograph you are going to look at for ages to come!!!

This being said, none should have a doubt as to why "Wedding Saree(s) Shopping" is the mother of all shopping and kick-starts the wedding prep! The purchasing of the saree(s) involves more religious sentiments than the wedding itself! There needs to be the right day (early enough to get the blouses stitched on time), right time (all the 7 planets as per astrology and the 2 shadow planets need to get in perfect sync and help the cause), right shopping party (essentially every female member in both the families, including kids and pets and one male member to accompany them, handle the cash and carry the bags), consensus on the right shop (between the families), consensus on the colours (inside the bride's ever-confused head), bride's patience to get every saree draped around (and MMS/ e-mail the trial pic to the rest of the deciding party who couldn't make it to the shop!) and more importantly consensus on the final saree (or set of sarees)! Phew!

Did I mention a nine-yard saree somewhere above? That has a few more checks before it can become the bride's... All the right things above have to be doubly right and all the consensus should be doubly strong!

Finally when all the sarees are in place and the bride, hence the groom and also both the families are happy, that's when we all say in chorus "Let rest of the wedding prep begin!"