The Significance of Sangeet in Indian Weddings
Of all of the events leading up to Indian wedding ceremonies, the Sangeet—which comes from the Sanskrit word for “music”—puts joy and celebration on center stage. The event, which is typically hosted a day or two before the wedding, is a night full of dancing and revelry for the bride’s and groom’s families. Traditionally, this event was reserved for the women of both families who took turns singing songs and dancing to wish the bride well as she started a new chapter in her life. It was also usually the first time the families met each other.
Today, the Sangeet is typically a large, co-ed affair full of dancing, singing, vibrant colors, and plenty of food. So how do you plan for all that fun? Here’s what you need to know.
Top 5 Essentials in Sangeet Wedding Celebration
- Dance. In addition to an open dance floor where everyone can bust a move, the family and friends of the couple will typically perform playful, choreographed dances for the crowd. If either family is Gujarati, traditional folk dances like dandiya raas and Garba will also be performed. If both sides are Guarati, the Garba may replace the Sangeet celebration entirely.
- Music. A playlist full of Bollywood bangers are a given at any good Sangeet celebration. If you’re sticking with Punjabi tradition, the female family members of both sides will also perform a few songs about married life, the bride leaving home, and jokes about in-laws.
- Food. Almost every Indian wedding event will feature some sort of buffet overflowing with delicious food and the Sangeet is no exception. Though you’ll definitely want to have enough food for dinner, we suggest putting the focus on bite-size appetizers and snacks that guests can enjoy on the dance floor.
- Drinks. Your guests—especially those performing—may need a little bit of liquid courage to feel comfortable busting a move out on the dance floor. Make sure the bar at your Sangeet celebration is well-stocked with your favorites (this is a fun time to incorporate a signature cocktail, if that’s your style). You’ll also want to make sure you have a few water stations set up throughout your event space to ensure everyone stays hydrated as they dance the night away.
- Henna. Though the Sangeet celebration is sometimes combined with the Mehndi ceremony, it isn’t always. That said, even couples that choose to host a separate Mehndi ceremony will opt to have a henna station at the Sangeet where guests can get quick designs applied to their hands. This gives female Sangeet guests a fun activity to do if they need a break from dancing, and allows for your extended family and friends to join in on the Mehndi tradition with you.
Sangeet Invitations FAQs
When is the Sangeet held?
The Sangeet is typically held a few days before the wedding ceremony. For example, if your wedding ceremony will be on Saturday, you’ll likely host the Sangeet on the Thursday or Friday evening before.
Who is invited to the Sangeet?
Because the Sangeet is the official celebration of the wedding, all guests are typically invited. If you host your Sangeet a few days before your wedding, you can expect less guests to attend, but couples typically assume 90-95% of their guests will attend the Sangeet.
Where do you host the Sangeet?
Traditionally, the Sangeet was held in the bride’s home. Today, most couples choose to host the Sangeet at a banquet hall or hotel ballroom to ensure they have enough space for all of their guests to join in on the fun.
What do you need to prepare for the Sangeet?
Planning the Sangeet is a lot like planning the other events surrounding your wedding. Before you book a venue, you’ll want to have a rough idea of your guest count and budget. From there, it’s about filling in the fun details—think lots of floral decor, twinkling lights, and beautiful up-lit drapery. You’ll also want to book your caterer in advance and ensure that your wedding photographer is available on the day you plan to host the Sangeet (or arrange for a separate photographer if needed).
Once you have the logistical details ironed out, you’ll want to build a playlist and start asking your close friends and family to perform dances during the evening. Then, you’ll need to make sure you and your spouse-to-be are prepared for your big entrance and couple’s dance. (The key here is to plan at least a handful of practice sessions!)
Who usually pays for the Sangeet?
The families of the couple typically split most of the wedding expenses 50/50, including the Sangeet ceremony. That said, how you choose to approach who pays for what is a deeply personal decision. Some couples will opt to have one side pay for the Sangeet, and one side pay for the reception, for example.
What do guests wear to the Sangeet?
Formal Indian clothing is typically worn to the Sangeet (and most of the other wedding events). If you are planning to invite guests with a mix of cultural backgrounds to your Sangeet ceremony, we advise including a line about the dress code on your Sangeet invitation that says something like “Indian/Western Formal.” You may also want to include some additional information, including colors and styles (i.e. can female guests wear short dresses? Or only long?), about the dress code on your wedding website to ensure your non-Indian guests arrive dressed appropriately.
Do guests need to bring gifts to the Sangeet?
Gift giving is always welcome, and there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules about giving gifts at the Sangeet. Indian wedding traditions typically include guests giving the bride and groom cash as a blessing instead of physical gifts (though sweet boxes filled with favorite sweet treats are always a firm favorite). As online registries become more popular, it is best to have the gift shipped directly to the couple instead of bringing it to one of the wedding events.
Sangeet Invitation Suites by Minted
To make picking the perfect Sangeet invitation easy, all of Minted’s Indian wedding invitation designs come complete with a coordinating Sangeet invitation. These designs have been thoughtfully crafted to stand apart from your main wedding invitation—whether it be with slightly different details, smaller card sizes, or unusual silhouettes—so that you can rest easy knowing the details of your Sangeet won’t get lost in the shuffle.
Minted also offers stand-alone Sangeet invitations should you decide to mix-and-match stationery styles for your big day!
Wedding Invitation Customization
Want an illustration of you and your spouse-to-be dancing on your Sangeet invitation? Or do you need to make accommodations to ensure the details of your Sangeet can be shared in two different languages? Minted provides custom design services if the couple want to design the wedding invitation suite from scratch.
Our in-house team of designers will work with you to bring every detail of your vision to life, and are dedicated to helping you have the wedding of your dreams. Fill out the initial request form today to get started.
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