Wedding dresses of Tamil matrimonial
In a Tamil girl’s life, Marriage is the very important event. The day when her marriage takes place is remembered by her, all her life.
You can ask a Tamil woman about her wedding day, she will put it out as a movie story for at least two hours. Beginning from how her respected family, of her father, her mother, how they found her man, when she looked him first, and to what she worn on that day, how many sovereigns of gold jewellery she brought with her and so on.
But the Red Tanjavour Saree, her Bridal wear ('Kooraich chelai") have another story, how they bought it from Tanjavoure (A city famous for its natural silk wedding sarees in India) through V.V.T in good packing with out touching sea water on those days' and how she is preserving it until now with her, even after so many years. She will give you count of how many Temple festivals she worn it, and how many wedding functions she worn it. Thus is the value of this silk Saree.
After fixing the Wedding date in the Jaffna Tamil marriage, on a good day, It's checked in the Tamil calendar for Auspicious Time "Suba Neram" (Not in "Ragu kalam", Emakandam"and"Attami navami" Times of the day) Friday, Monday or Wednesday, Tamil Bride's and Tamil Bride Groom's family together go to a good Wedding saree selling textile shop along with the Bride to Select Sarees for herself to wear on the Wedding day ceremony.
There she will select four sarees.
- The Red colored, yellow color bridal worked wide border saree for the "Thalee" wearing ceremony.
- A Saree, "Innaik koorai" to wear After the wedding ceremony. (May be in Muskat, yellow or rose color)
- A Saree for the official Marriage Registration ceremony
This three sarees will be Paid by the Bride groom family on behalf of the Bridegroom.
Bride will select a saree for her self (and will pay for it ) to wear on the wedding day's arrival ceremony at the Wedding stage (Manavarai).
Also the Bride family will select and will buy a set of Silk "Vesti" and "Salvai" to present at the Wedding stage on the marriage day, for the official Marriage Registration ceremony A Trouser and shirt for the Bride groom. The Wedding Silk Saree will be Presented to the Bride by the Bride groom along with the auspicious things and the other ceremonial things after the "pooja" in the wedding stage between the auspicious time to Change to this Silk Saree and come for the "Thalee" wearing ceremony.
If the bride can't change the new silk saree and come back before the auspicious time, the bride may cover her with the Saree and "Thalee" wearing ceremony will continue as the auspicious time will be more important. Then she may Chang her new saree and come back and continue the rest of the ceremony.
Bridegroom's dresses.
Bride groom will select his desired dresses for the wedding and he will select dress for "Mappillai tholan" also (Best man). Also The both side of the family members will buy new dresses for their wedding day presence.
"Vesti Salvai" for the Brahmin Gurukal and his Assistants who do assist the Marriage ceremonies at the temple or wedding hall on the wedding day will be presented.
If you want to honor the Classical wedding musicians of "Nathaswaram and Thavil" artists who will perform for the wedding, don't forget to buy "Ponnaadai" (Zari shawl) for them.