Baraat is the procession where the groom travels to the wedding venue with family and friends. Send invitations that announce the procession date, time, route, and reception details.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Luxurious Hindu Wedding Ritual Guide with Golden Peacocks and Vibrant Floral Illustrations
About Baraat
The baraat is a central ceremony in Hindu weddings where the groom, dressed formally and often on horseback or in a vehicle, processes to the bride's home or wedding venue with a band, dancers, and family members. The procession is celebratory and can last several hours. Invitations must specify the baraat date and time, the meeting point (where guests should assemble), the route or destination, and parking or transportation details. Many families now include baraat timing on broader wedding invitations that also list pre-wedding events like Sangeet, Haldi, and Mehndi. The baraat is followed by rituals at the wedding venue—typically the pheras (circumambulation of the fire) and reception. Some families host a separate baraat welcome or send dedicated cards to guests who will join the procession versus those attending only the venue ceremony.
Cultural context
The baraat is a Hindu wedding tradition with regional variations across North India, Gujarat, and parts of Central and South India. It symbolizes the groom's family's arrival and is marked by music, dancing, and festive energy. The groom is traditionally dressed in a sherwani or achkan, often with a sehrabandi (decorative headpiece). The procession includes family elders, the groom's mother, and invited guests who walk or dance alongside.