Helpful Info

Question

Questions?

Answer

Shoot us an email at singh.halliday.wedding@gmail.com! We appreciate that you direct all questions to us; we won't make you do too much research!

Question

What is appropriate to wear at the gurudwara?

Answer

Within the gurudwara itself, men and women must keep their heads covered. For women, a light scarf or veil is an appropriate head covering; it does not need to be tightly wrapped, just secure enough that it doesn't slip off of your head! For our non-Sikh male guests, you will not be expected to wear a turban; a large handkerchief to cover the head is all you need. We will be providing handkerchiefs and scarves for our guests. You are not required to wear Indian-style clothing, but feel free to if you would like! For the ladies, a long tunic shirt or dress is perfect with leggings or pants underneath; it is recommended that the shoulders to the ankles are covered. Men are welcome to wear semi-formal attire, like a dress shirt and slacks. For everyone, shoes are to be removed before entering the temple; there is room to leave your shoes in the lobby.

Question

Is there anything else I should know about gurudwara to be respectful?

Answer

Before entering the temple itself, everyone will be asked to wash their hands. Our ceremony will be conducted in Punjabi, but there will be screens translating into English in real-time. As always, we deeply appreciate the respect our guests will offer the gurudwara!

Question

What is the Ketubah?

Answer

Short answer: The Ketubah is the Jewish marriage contract, a traditional step to be taken before getting married. It is essentially a written, signed agreement of our mutual vows to each other. Long answer: We will not be having a full Jewish wedding ceremony this weekend; that will happen at a later date (so stay tuned for pt. II!) But because we want any and all of our wedding celebrations to be a true reflection of both of us, we have decided to incorporate the Ketubah into this weekend. We figure, that our marriage contract should get signed before any type of marriage! Originally, the Ketubah was an enforceable document that protected wives from being left uncared for in the event of divorce or death. It isn't used that way so much anymore; now, it functions in the same way that vows do. When a couple makes promises to one another, the Ketubah keeps those promises plainly expressed...so they can't ever be forgotten! The Ketubah is traditionally signed under the chuppah, in front of two witnesses, neither of whom is closely related to the couple. To our Jewish guests: reach out if you'd like to be part of the minyan!

Question

What is sangeet?

Answer

Sangeet is a PARTY! It will be full of dancing and fun, so make sure to bring your dancing shoes! The term Sangeet traditionally refers to music, and so the sangeet ceremony is devoted to music and dancing, where sometimes the members of each family will perform for the other side. We won't be forcing any family members to put on a dance show (unless they want to!), and you can think of this event as the party that sets the stage for all of the fun that's to come.

Question

Is there anything happening between the ceremony and reception?

Answer

Since the Anand Karaj typically happens earlier in the day than Western wedding ceremonies tend to, we made the decision to put a small break in the middle of the day. Use this time to change into your party outfit, relax a little bit, or mingle with the other guests! The drive from the gurudwara to the hotel will take about 30-40 minutes, so we anticipate that there will be 2-ish hours of free time to do with as you please!