When your parents arrange for you to get married to a man they find worthy of you, you start on a journey with a stranger with more faith than love. However, as you two get to know each other – from the day you first meet to the day you get married – you live the most beautiful stage of your relationship. From sharing families to sharing dreams, courtship is the prologue to the love story of an arranged marriage – and we’ll take you through all the little moments couples live in it!
1. It’s a YES!
And just like that, after a few short meetings, you take a huge leap of faith and decide to spend your life with someone your family approves of!
2. Welcome to the family
You get introduced to a whole new set of family members oohing and aahing at you. (And at first you really struggle to remember all those names right!)
3. The first phone call
The first time you see his name flash across your phone, you feel a little nervous. And then when you run out of words and topics to talk about… *Awkward*
4. And then the never-ending late night talks
But slowly, you start looking forward to his calls and spend most nights simply sharing with him the life you’ve lived so far.
5. Dreams of a life together
You start sharing dreams and apprehensions about your future together. It feels nice to know that there is a person on the other side of the phone ready to align his dreams with yours.
6. The first date
While your entire family participates in it – the dressing up, the venue choosing, the pick-up and drop – only you feel that little nervous flutter in your tummy at the thought of going out with him, alone, for the first time ever…
7. And the many more dates after it…
After the thrill of the first date, you keep looking for excuses to meet him!
8. All that in-law attention
With your would-be mother-in-law or your sister-in-law calling to ask every now and then what colour would you want your room, and those matching curtains and pillows….you feel slightly overwhelmed, at times!
9. The last few months at home
Your family pampers you to death, trying to make every occasion – big or small – special for you. And you find yourself getting soooo emotional just at the thought of leaving them all.
10. Being pampered
With your wedding coming closer, you spend almost four days a week shopping, and other three getting salon treatments. Life’s good!
11. And then some more…
Rubies and diamonds and good old gold…aah! You love how your parents are suddenly treating you with expensive jewellery and designer everything for your trousseau!
12. The honeymoon tickets!
Meanwhile your girlfriends bug you about your grand plans for the honeymoon! Uff!
13. Lessons in domestic chores
But your mom worries herself over the different geometric shapes your roti takes! She now holds regular lessons in teaching you ghar ke kaam!
14. Rules of engagement
Amidst all this preparation, you get engaged. You exchange rings and dance together and come back home with SO many gifts that the day feels like your perfect princess moment.
15. Falling in love
Slowly, you realize you have started caring about him, and love how he worries over you getting home late alone. You suddenly know that you’ve left any doubts about your decision to spend your life with him way behind…
16. Suhaag raat?!
But you are still nervous yet excited about your first night with him. Especially since your life’s entire female fraternity has formed an advisory board to counsel you upon it – and it’s NOT helping!
17. And finally, the BIG day
It’s the day of your wedding! It feels like but yesterday when you two met as strangers and are now going to start a life together… Well, the first chapter of your married life begins! <3 <3
GIFs: Tumblr
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