Introduction
Kashmiris first match the horoscopes or teknis of the prospective bride and groom. Besides this, the other factors which are taken into consideration while selecting a match are the background, status and the reputation of the family of the prosepective match. The wedding date is proposed by the bride's parents. Once the groom's parents also give their consent, the purohit fixes the wedding date. The wedding can take place in the morning or in the night. An auspicious time is fixed by the purohit.

Wedding Attire
The traditional wedding attire is the pheran, a garment somewhere between a coat and a cloak. The groom wears a tweed pheran with a sword in his waistband and jootis in his feet. His headgear is a turban (gordastar) to which a peacock feather has been tied with a golden thread. The bride's pheran is usually made of raffel, with ari or hook embroidery at the neck, cuff and edges. Over the kulpush, a long piece of snow white cloth is wrapped at the level of the forehead in three or four layers. A white scarf is wrapped over the kulpush and it covers the head from behind. This scarf is left hanging on the back of the head till it reaches just below the shoulders. It is made of fine cotton silk on two sides and consists of a silk or cotton net in the middle. The edges are embroidered with gold and silk threads. A snow-white glazed paper, starched muslin cloth and a slolite paper also adorn the headgear. A belt with loose ends embroidered is tied to the waist of the bride.

Pre-Wedding Rituals
Vanna (Formal Engagement)
Once the two families agree to the alliance, a formal commitment (or vanna) ceremony takes place in the form of kasamdry. The ceremony takes place in front of an idol. The elderly persons of both sides meet in a temple and exchange flowers as a sign of celebration of the formalisation of the alliance. The girls' family lays out a meal comprising of traditional Kashmiri food. Separately in the houses of the bride and the groom, the eldest aunt (of the boy and the girl) prepares var (a special rice pudding) which is distributed among the neighbour and relatives. The girl's family sends cash, dry fruits, dry fruits and a pot containing nabad (misri) to the boy's house.

Engagement Ceremony
The family purohits or gors fix the date of the engagement ceremony as per the Kashmiri calendar. The families of the bride and the groom invite their friends and relatives to their respective houses. Then the maidservant of the groom's house goes to the house of the bride. She carries a silver cup of cream, a ring, a pheran, tarang (the traditional headgear), narivan bride who (sacred thread) and sindoor. She gives the clothes to the dresses up in them. Then the maid feeds the cream to the bride with a silver spoon. A similar ceremony is carried out for the groom. In his case, the sister-in-law or brother-in-law of the bride goes to the groom's house with presents. In the evening a music session is held separately in the houses of the bride and the groom. Traditional Kashmiri wedding songs called vachuns are sung.

Livun
A few days before the wedding, on an auspicious day, the houses of the bride and the groom are cleaned in a ceremony called livun.

Maanzirat
This takes place within seven days of the actual marriage ceremony. In the krool khanun ceremony, the pof of the bride and the groom decorate the doors of the houses of the bride and the groom. The bride takes a ceremonial bath in the evening. The ladies are invited for a traditional dinner. The ladies take part in the wanwun.

Bariyan
Usually around two to three weeks before the wedding, flat lentil cakes are made to flag off the wedding preparations in the houses of both the bride and the groom. The women of both the households grind whole urad into a paste mixed with condiments and spices. This paste is flattened into small cakes which are dried in the sun. A silver swastika is placed on the first cake. On the same day rice bariyan, a spicy, savoury gruel of rice cooked with almonds and dry dates in oil is served with mince balls and other mutton preparations for dinner.

Thread Ceremony
If the Janayu or thread ceremony has not been performed earlier for the groom, then it is conducted a few days before the wedding. If the ceremony is conducted post-adolescence he wears a thread of six strands as opposed to three worn if the ceremony was performed in his younger days.

Devgon
The bride and the groom worship God Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The parents of the bride and the groom perform a havan in their respective houses. In the case of the bride, first there is the kansihran ceremony. Young girls hold a veil over the bride's head and relatives shower a mixture of water, rice, milk, curd and flowers. The maternal uncle of the bride gifts her a new set of clothes. The boy is also given a kansihran.

Sending of Thaals
This takes place usually two to three days before the wedding. The girl's family sends out 51 thaals to the groom's family. The thaals are large plates of sweets, fresh and dry fruit, khajur, ghee, sugar and gota (special mixture made only during Kashmiri weddings).

Phoolon Ka Gehna
Around two days before the wedding, the family of the groom sends flower jewellery and tinsel to the bride. The girl adorns this jewellery as a symbol of her first shringar (beautification).

Mehendi
The Mehendi ceremony generally takes place one or two days before the wedding. Close friends and relatives are invited. First there is a puja. Then the girl's hands (palms and fingers) and feet are adorned with mehendi (henna) patterns. In the groom's house, a little mehendi is applied on his hands as Mehendi is a symbol of auspiciousness.

Diugun
Diugun takes place on the morning of the wedding day separately in the houses of the bride and the groom. The elders in the respective families apply a paste of curd, gram flour (besan) and saffron to the bride's and groom's heads. Then the bride and the groom take a bath (separately in their own houses). Then there is a pooja separately in the houses of the bride and the groom . After this puja, the bride, the groom and their respective parents observe a fast till the wedding is over. The parents of the bride giver her jewellery, clothes, household items, etc. An essential item of the jewellery is the dijaru, an ear ornament, which is the sign of a married Kashmiri woman.

Sanzvaru
The boy's family sends sanzvaru for the bride. This contains cosmetics, a small mirror, sindoor, a pamur or a shawl and also special paan or betel leaf encased in silver and gold warq or foil. The bride dresses for the wedding using these cosmetics.

Departure of the Baraat
While the groom's turban is being tied, a plate of rice containing some money is touched to his right shoulder. The groom and his party (baraat) leave for the bride's house. The groom rides a horse and the others either walk or follow by car.

Exchange of Jaiphal
On arrival, the groom and his party are welcomed at the wedding venue. The fathers of the bride and the groom exchange jaiphal or nutmeg symbolising the solemnisation of the relationship with a promise of a life-long friendship.

Dwaar Puja
Then the groom is made to stand on a rangoli made at the door. His bride-to-be joins him wearing the pamur shawl (which was a part of Sanzvaru). The bride's mother performs the dwaar puja with lamps made of wheat flour. She also gives some sugar candy to the bride and the groom. The bride then returns to her room.

The Marriage Ceremony
At the start of the auspicious hour, the puja starts according to Vedic rites. The puja is performed by the purohit around the sacred fire and is always outdoors. The couple always holds hands while going around the fire. Their pallus are tied together. The first round of the seven pheras is made by stepping on seven one rupee coins of silver, while the other six are completed while the purohit chants mantras.

Post-Wedding Rituals
Wedding Dinner
The wedding ceremony is followed by a vegetarian dinner. The bride and groom are made to eat from the same plate.

Doves
The bride changes into a new sari and jewellery given by her parents. The bride and the groom are again made to stand on the rangoli. A pair of doves are set free.

Vidaai
For the vidaai, the bride and the groom are made to stand on the rangoli. The eldest lady from the bride's family offers the newly wed couple nabad (misri) thrice and kisses their foreheads. As the bride leaves her parent's house, she throws a fistful of raw rice over her shoulder in the direction of that house. This symbolises that prosperity may continue to remain in the home she leaves. She carries some more rice in her other hand which is scattered at the doorstep of her new home. This symbolises that she brings prosperity to her new home.

Havan
The bride's parents perform a Havan thanking God for enabling them to successfully discharge their duties. Only after this do the parents break their fast.

Dwaar Puja
The groom's mother performs the Dwaar Puja (which was earlier conducted by the girl's mother). A pair of doves are again set free. In a playful moment, the groom's pof remand cash/jewellery in return for letting him bring the bride in the house.

Atahru Ceremony
The bride is now made to change into a new sari and jewellery given by her in-laws. Atahru, which consists of several strands of gold/ silver leaf are strung below the dijaru which she is already wearing.

Garasun
This is equivalent to the modern-day reception held at the girl's place. This day non-vegetarian food is served to all the invitees. Presents for the couple are given on this occasion. It marks off the beginning of a fruitful and happy life for the couple and their families.

Satraa
Accompanied by her husband and a couple of children from the husband's family, the bride goes to her parents' house. The parents of the bride give the bride a set of new clothes and some salt and cash. The groom is also presented with new clothes including a dusa (six yard pashmina shawl). The bride and the groom change into new clothes before returning to the groom's house.

Roth Khabar
On a predetermined day, the bride's family sends roth khabar to the groom's family. Roth is a one metre long and two and a half metres wide cake which is decorated with nuts. Usually an odd number of these cakes is sent. The bride then goes to her parents' house, accompanied by the person who brought the roth khabar. Then the groom's family sends someone to fetch the bride. As the bride leaves her maternal home, she is given salt and cash.