Why Cyprus is Perfect for an Indian Wedding

One of the best features of Cyprus is its climate, with the island boasting from 300 to 340 days of sunshine annually. The warm season usually lasts for about 8 months, April to November, and temperatures still remain mild and pleasant in the other 4 months, making this an all-year-round wedding destination. Spells of bad weather are quite infrequent, which is especially relevant for Indian weddings that typically last for 2-3 days and have many parts that will ideally be celebrated outdoors.

Imagine a traditional Barat (Vara-Yatra) procession preceding the wedding in bright rays of the sun, surrounded by magnificent Cypriot nature, at the seaside or on the picturesque streets of a quaint city like Limassol or Larnaca. Or a Varmala (Jaimala) ceremony with fresh colorful flowers abundant in Cyprus in any season.

A country that has been carefully preserving its traditions for centuries, Cyprus is the best place for those seeking to do the same with the maximum level of convenience. The island of love is equally famous for its hospitality, so you will feel warmly welcomed and duly impressed with stellar quality of service at any venue, regardless of the price range.

Even better if a hotel or resort is fully equipped to handle a complex multi-day wedding, with several locations available within the same venue to spice up your big day and add more variety. We offer a large selection of celebration spaces to cater to even the most discerning taste, for example, Parklane Luxury Resort, St Raphael Hotel, the Elysium Hotel, Aphrodite Hills Resort, and many more. Some of them, such as Adams Beach Hotel, have a full menu prepared specifically for Indian weddings. Read more about them in our main article about weddings in Cyprus. Other exciting locations that may prove interesting include pristine sandy beaches, white cliffs, rustic wineries, ancient ruins or olive groves – there is no limit to imagination when it comes to Cyprus.

We all know the importance of good decor, since it can make or break a wedding. This is especially true for Indian weddings, where many details acquire ritualistic significance. Ori has already proved its competence in organizing lavish Indian weddings in Georgia, so you can count on us to show utmost attention and dedication when it comes to even the tiniest attributes of your celebration.

Arguably, colorful fabrics and other decorative elements like gold and silver embroidery, bead accents and jewels are some of the most important in an Indian wedding. Patterned tapestries, drapings, flowing scarves, runners, floor cushions, poufs and carpets – here are just a handful of decor possibilities that will further enhance the wedding atmosphere. Another great addition is flower garlands and fresh flower petals for both the ceremony space and the bridal walkway.

Popular materials that we love working with include chiffon, tulle, satin, and silk for cloth elements as well as metal, wood and glass for all the others – everything working together to complement the wedding raiments of the groom and the bride and their chosen color scheme. Various shades of red and pink are traditionally popular as the couple’s colors, with peach fuzz being announced as the most coveted color for 2024 by the Pantone Color Institute.

We at Ori provide both readymade decor options and customisable variants, with table decor offering a carefully curated design, where every nuance is planned to perfection –  from candle holders to napkin rings. Your needs and wishes always come first, so it is possible to organize the wedding in a traditional Indian style or a classic European one, as our planners and contractors have solid experience in both.

An Indian wedding does not start and end with the religious ceremony. Apart from an intimate civil ceremony or a pre-wedding photoshoot with families and friends, there are a number of important pre-ceremony rituals and festivities that also require careful planning.

One such tradition is the mehndi (mehendi) ritual, performed in the bride’s family with the help and participation of the closest friends. An artist is invited to the site of the wedding to decorate the bride’s hands and feet with henna for good luck and protection. The designs also encode the groom’s name in a special way on the palms of the bride.  Some henna from this ritual is sent to the groom’s family, so that it can be applied to his palms and an intricate design, reflecting the name of his beloved, can be drawn. The recommended color of dress for the event is green, and it can also be staged in a green outdoor area at the hotel for the best effect. Applying henna takes a long time, so it is advised to schedule time in advance for both creating the patterns and letting them dry. This can be accompanied by meeting our MUAH artist on site for some beauty and self-care quality time.

Another exciting event that brings the families of the couple together is the haldi ritual.  It involves rubbing turmeric (haldi), mixed in oil and water, to the body. This is typically done by close relatives of the bride and groom. In response, newlyweds can also playfully smear their relatives in turmeric, all of which is accompanied by cheerful songs and dances. It is believed that turmeric cleanses the skin and gives it a healthy shine, acts as an antiseptic, protects against the evil eye, and soothes tension. Yellow clothes work best with this activity and the decor can also be accented with shades of yellow, orange and gold.

On the very eve of the wedding ceremony a Mandapa tent is installed – a festively decorated area with a canopy and an altar at the center, which will become the space of focus and celebration for the couple and their families. The rituals and processes in a Hindu wedding vary widely but this richly decorated tent is essential, as it represents the universe that brought the newlyweds together, with its four pillars symbolizing their parents. The altar is where the sacred fire “agni” is lit, which must be walked around seven times. Each circle confirms the oath given to each other for the bride and the groom. The ceremony is traditionally conducted entirely, or at least partially in Sanskrit, considered to be the language of holy ceremonies. A Hindu priest is the one who conducts the ceremony and delivers the prayer, which may be accompanied by traditional music and dance. So if a couple wants to observe all the rituals, it is necessary to have secured musical support, ceremonial items and  the services of a priest – something a reputable wedding agency with vast planning experience can easily help you with.

In Hindu weddings, friends and family members serve as active participants, bringing their presence, warmth, and energy to the ceremony for it to become truly vibrant. During this time, the parents give a flower garland to their children as a symbol of a new beginning and a new family being created. Senior family members can also lead a prayer session for everyone present.

Instead of exchanging rings as the final touch of the ceremony, the newlyweds have a red “bindi” dot painted on their foreheads, symbolizing an unbreakable bond of marriage and the couple’s devotion to each other.

Traditional Indian cuisine is loved by many people around the world and Cyprus is no exception. While some ingredients for wedding dishes may have to be brought from outside, there are plenty of restaurants and hotels that are more than capable of creating an attractive wedding menu of Indian dishes at your request.

Another notable feature of Cypriot food is its variety. A significant number of national celebrations on the island involve a meat-eating tradition but at the same time, the Orthodox nature of religious practices in Cyprus makes fasting a necessary attribute which, in turn, boosts the variety of vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free dishes that are often requested by our Indian couples.

During the wedding rituals and ceremonies, it is a widely accepted practice to organize an open buffet with an unlimited non-alcoholic or alcoholic bar. However, the guests may also be served at tables or offered treats while they enjoy a more traditional seating arrangement with soft cushions spread on the floor. Even more serving arrangements, such as meze, exist in Cyprus and can help you bring your families and loved ones closer together. Read more about them in our main article about getting married in Cyprus.

Modern Indian weddings often feature a large European-style cake, which is served at the end of a meal or ceremony. The newlyweds cut it together, first feed a piece to each other, then treat the guests. Our pastry chefs are experts at preparing wedding cakes according to your design and filling preferences. The price includes refrigerated delivery to make sure the quality remains perfect. A cake can be decorated with figurines, berries or fresh flowers of your choice.

Music and dance make up an essential part of a traditional Indian celebration, both before and after the wedding ceremony. For example, the previous evening is typically the time for Sangit (Sangeet, Garba) – a cheerful dance and music performance, where the relatives of the bride and the groom convey their congratulations and best wishes to the couple in the form of songs, dances and poems. A special stage may be constructed for the whole family to show off their talents, with the bride and the groom taking front-row seats to enjoy the show in their honor. Dhol players may be invited to add even more fun to the celebration and a DJ with a playlist of top Indian tracks is a must-have.

Apart from a stage setup, hiring some of the best DJs in Cyprus and planning a top-notch entertainment program for your wedding dinner, Ori also offers the services of a sound engineer to make sure all the equipment works as intended and your vows are heard loud and clear in any weather conditions.

However, that’s not all. To create a truly festive atmosphere, it’s a fantastic idea to have proper lighting arrangements, and a dance floor with balanced rhythm and color combinations. Luckily, our tech professionals are experts at turning any venue into an impressive stage for your own personal dance party full of opulence and joy. Many locations, such as Lexeco Estate, offer canvas walls with state-of-the-art projection equipment or large LED screens to make the party even more memorable.

A wedding photoshoot or video is another great way to preserve the memory of this important event. Whether it is a photo session with your guests, a ceremony video or a party clip, our photographers and videographers are well-versed in the nuances of Indian weddings, making their expertise at capturing the best moments of the celebration very valuable. Ori provides the services of premium-class wedding photographers, professional and drone videography, based on the subcontractor chosen.

An Indian wedding is a unique event because of its gift-giving tradition – almost all of its participants are given a gratitude token. Family members of the bride and groom must exchange gifts, and presents are given to the priests taking part in the rituals. Often, at the end of the wedding, not only the participants, but also the guests receive gifts from the families of the newlyweds. These can include sweets, clothes items, commemorative baubles, coins or trinkets with the wedding date and other things. The list of presents can be agreed upon in advance, and our team will be more than happy to help you secure, wrap and distribute them.

Ease of travel and relaxed visa requirements are the two factors that make Cyprus an appealing wedding destination for visitors from many different countries. Depending on the country you are from, you may enjoy a visa-free entry for a stay of up to 90 days, or need a short-stay visa for this period. Indian nationals wishing to visit Cyprus for up to 90 days may apply for a Civil Marriage / Visit Foreign Embassy visa type, which is usually processed within 10-15 business days and does not require rigorous preparation.

Traveling around the island is neither problematic nor costly with our transportation services. You can be sure that we will organize a transfer that takes you, your guests, the team and the necessary equipment to the most picturesque and remote locations with ease and safety as our main priorities. This is particularly important for those who wish for their wedding to have a change of scenery – start your celebration on a sandy beach, visit a beautiful vineyard or an olive grove, and finish the day with a fun party at a luxury hotel.

As you can see, an Indian wedding in Cyprus will always be a celebration to remember, especially if you engage the services of a well-established wedding agency with profound organizational experience. With more Indian culture coming to the island of love each year, a traditional or modern Indian wedding ceremony is more accessible than ever, and we at Ori will do our utmost to make sure this is an occasion that you and your loved ones will cherish forever.