Christian Marriage
 A Christian marriage is initiated with the church announcing the name of the bride and groom three weeks prior to the date of marriage. The marriage is conducted in the church, which is decorated to mark the occasion. The proceedings of the marriage ceremony is accompanied by a group of choir singers.
The Christian marriage rituals are brief, which is attended by the friends and relatives of the bride and the groom. Before they leave for the church, there is a get together in the respective houses where a prayer is said. The bride is dressed in a brocade saree, or the long, loose traditional white gown. The bride in a white veil, is accompanied by her friends and two little girls who hold the flower baskets, while the groom is accompanied by his best man.
 A Mangalsutra (the sacred wedding dollar & a cross) and a ring for the bride is gifted to the bride by the groom's family. The bride and groom stand in front of the altar along with the Parish priest who conducts the wedding. The bride and the groom hold each other's right hand and take the oath of lifelong loyalty to each other, in the name of God. They then exchange wedding rings and are declared man and wife by the priest. To solemnize the occasion, the priest may also present the newly wed with a rosary. Bread and wine is served in the latter part of the service. A small reception follows the marriage, where the traditional three-tier marriage cake is cut by the newly weds.
In South India, the reception begins with the lighting of an oil lamp by the bride and the groom signifying their cultural origin. In an Anglican marriage, a toast for the newly wed is proposed wishing them a happy married life.
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