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CHICAGO, U.S.A., January 2004: Not many brides can say their weddings stopped traffic. But that’s exactly what happened to Mita Jain last May as friends and family followed her fiance down State Street in Chicago on their way to the ceremony at the Palmer House Hilton. Of course, it’s not every day that passers-by are treated to a man in a gilded turban riding a decorated white horse, surrounded by more than a 100 men and women dancing and chanting while a costumed drummer keeps the beat. While the spectacle stopped shoppers along the bustling street — a double-decker tour bus even pulled over so its riders could take photos — the event was nothing unusual for Jain and her guests. It was simply a normal wedding procession, Indian style. “Indian weddings are like non-stop festivals,” says Jain, a lawyer and independent Indian wedding coordinator in Chicago. “Everything revolves around ceremonies, music, dancing and food — lots of food.” Typical Hindu nuptials involve a number of events that can stretch anywhere from a weekend to a whole week. “It’s about colors, music, food and chaos,” says Sabrina Hans, who has been planning Indian weddings in Chicago for 17 years. Jain says she never considered having a Western ceremony, even though she grew up in the United States. “My parents made sure we were brought up with a lot of traditions, so it was important to me to honor them,” she says. The report explains in detail the ceremonies and their symbolism.

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