A Simple Bong Wedding - Totto !

And the invitation part is over. My parents had done it. They visited all the invitees personally to invite them for my wedding even though my dad is suffering from severe back pain (Hats off to ma and papa). Parents forget their own pain for their kid, I have no words for their selfless love. I really feel blessed. I have spent super awesome 25 years with them.

We have invited around 220 guests to attend our wedding ceremony on 1 August. 200 guests from our side and approximately 20 guests from groom’s side. “220” is a very less number for a Bengali family. Generally, Bengali families invite minimum 500 guests for an occasion like wedding. Although to me 220 is a big figure. In my opinion, there is no point inviting those people who we meet for the first and last time on our wedding day. However, my parents do not agree with me on this. Therefore, I am helpless.

We are now preparing “totto” (Wedding trousseau ) also known as “pronami” for the groom’s family. Totto is another most important and an Integral part of Bengali wedding. Totto are of two types : Gai Holud totto which comes from Groom’s family for the Bride and her family members and Ful sojja tatto which comes from Bride’s family on “bou bhat” or full sojja ( will write about it in my next post) for  Bride & Groom and his family members . It means that I am getting "totto" from both sides :-D lucky me !!!

Gaye Holud Totto comes in the morning on the wedding day. Groom’s family sends turmeric paste and clothes for Bride. Bride wears that sari and then everyone apply turmeric paste on her face. I don’t the actual reason behind it but turmeric bring glow on Bride’s face naturally as turmeric is a good antiseptic and very good for skin. After this ritual Bride can take shower. Groom’s family also sends other gifts for bride and her family like clothes, cosmetics, traditional sweets etc. Either bride’s or groom’s family sends fish also. Fish is a symbol of fertility in our culture. Probably it is from Groom’s family. Bride’s family also sends same things for groom and his family but on a different day.

We decorate “totto” in different kind of trays and we use colorful transparent plastics to wrap them. It is a creative artwork and again very time consuming. I promise to upload pictures of totto soon after my wedding.

Our wedding Countdown has begun. Only 13 days is left. The sunshine man is coming on 26 July. We are going to Goa for our honeymoon and he has booked a room in a five star hotel to make it special and memorable for us. I am super duper excited and nervous about it. 

P.S: I am not getting time for blogging. Please bear with me until mid august.