Indian weddings are a grand and lavish affair, where all near and dear ones come together to bless the beautiful couple for the new phase of their life together. Once all the D-day rituals are over, and the couple is official known as ‘husband and wife’, comes a moment that is a little bittersweet experience for the bride and her family. This is the moment of vidaai, when the bride bids farewell to her family and moves towards her husband’s home. Here we have got some emotional and some joyous shots of the vidaai ceremony from real Indian weddings.

The final stage of the wedding

 Vidaai symbolizes the final stage of the wedding. The bride gets ready to bid farewell to her parents’ home, and makes her way towards her husband’s home. When old ties break, even if only symbolically, tears do find their way out. Here is a shot of two beautiful brides, teary-eyed, before leaving for their new abode.

Rituals attached to Vidaai

During the vidaai ceremony, as the bride steps out of her parents’ house she pauses at the door to throw a handful of rice and coins over her head. Daughters are considered to be the manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi (deity of wealth and prosperity). So, a bride wishes that her parents’ home remains prosperous even after she leaves!

Wishing prosperity for her parents

Here is a beautiful shot of a bride throwing a handful of rice over her head as a wish of prosperity for her parents’ home. And, do take a look at her expressions! Vidaai is a bittersweet moment no doubt, but it is not necessary that tears have to be a part of it. This bride’s smile says a lot about her love for her parents’ home as well as her excitement of entering a new life.

Bride’s wishes for her parents

Vidaai ceremony is not limited to a particular community or faith. This ceremony, though with varying rituals, can be found in every community in India. Here is a South Indian bride throwing rice over her head as a part of the final farewell ceremony from her parents’ home.

Repaying her parents with love

The vidaai ritual also symbolizes that the bride has repaid her parents for her upbringing and for everything they have bestowed on her. As the bride throws grains of rice behind, her parents and other close family members are there to catch it in their hands or dupatta.

Tears do well up

The mention of vidaai in itself is enough to make the bride and her family’s eyes well up with tears. As their little, loving daughter welcomes a new life of bliss; parents are filled with feelings of happiness for her, blessing her with all their heart and soul. Here is a shot of a mother wiping her daughter’s tears during the vidaai ceremony.

Parents’ wish for her happiness 

As the bride leaves for her new home with her groom, her parents’ give her hand to the groom and request him to love and take care of their precious daughter always. It is every father’s wish that his little princess is always treated as a ‘princess’. Here is a bride who makes her way towards her new home with her loved ones guiding her.

Towards new life

The final ritual in the vidaai ceremony sees the couple move towards the car to head towards the groom’s house. Here is a bride who makes her way towards her new life with her husband.

Beauty and emotions

Indian weddings are filled with moments that are beautiful, significant and emotional too. Here is a close up shot of a bride sitting in her car after the vidaai ceremony. She is now ready to move towards her new home with her husband and his family, which is now her family too!

She wants happiness

When a bride leaves for her new home she wants to make sure that her parents and loved ones do not cry. This is what this bride wants, as she wipes away tears from her family member’s eyes during thevidaai.

Happy and excited

 Traditionally an Indian bride leaves her parent’s home in a doli. Here is a shot of a beautiful bride who seems excited to enter her new life.

Her eyes say it all!

A bride’s eyes become a window to her heart and soul at this moment. Her eyes may have tears in them, but there is also the twinkle of the excitement of the new phase of life that is about to start. Take a look at this bride who has managed to mesmerize us with her eyes!

She has someone by her side always

The tears that a bride and her family members shed during this time are khushi ke aansu (tears of happiness). During this emotional moment, it is very important that her groom stays by her side to assure not only her but also her parents that he will always be with her, to guide her and take care of her.

Fare-thee-well

Every parent wants their daughter to be happy always, whether she is in their home or at her husband’s home. Here is a shot of a mother bidding a happy adieu to her daughter as the bride’s car moves towards her new home.

Entering new home

After the bride enters her husband’s home there are many more rituals that follow. One of the most important and significant ones is the ‘griha pravesh‘. The first steps that a woman takes into her new home after the wedding is a celebrated and a crucial moment.