I reached the banquet hall in my city at 3pm to see the arrangements. We were the organisers while the bride with her family, had to come to venue from a different city. I talked to the venue owner, he handed over rooms' keys to me. I talked to caters to check - evening snacks are aligned as bride's family and relatives were about to reach at 4pm. Some rooms we opened, and our relatives and family members occupied them. Some rooms and one big hall, we left closed, to be given to bride's family and relatives. I double checked with beauty parlour, car decorator, and dhole wale. Car decorator confirmed for 3am. Beauty parlour confirmed 5pm appointment. Dhole wale confirmed for 7pm. Things look fine and under control. By 4pm every one from our family and relatives were present at banquet hall but there were no sight of bride's family and relatives.
My dad told me that they (bride's family and relatives) are running late so possibly by 4:30pm they would reach here. We waited, and waited, they reached around 5:30pm and all of sudden chaos started. Everyone finding it difficult to find the space in rooms. I myself was handling with my dad, and everyone was coming to me and dad, where is the room? First time in my life, I was managing a marriage, and felt getting 50 people settled in the rooms at the same time, was a tough task. But slowly, things get settled down and people found their feet in the rooms. After 20-30 mins, there was a silence. At 6pm, I received call from the beauty parlour, I asked them to wait.
My dad invited them to get ready and have snacks so rituals can be started. We came to know that bride's family had to do one ritual before tilak ceremony. In a moment, we saw things will be delayed. My dad and bride's dad had some discussion and decided to do things quickly. I helped them in doing their ritual so we all don't loose time.
Time was 7pm and caters started arrangements for dinner at 8pm. I saw some more people have gathered in the hall including my friends. It was the time when tilak ceremony started and bride went to beauty parlour. I saw that dhole wale appeared next to me. I asked them to wait but they said, they have to leave by 10pm. I took them in confidence that their work will be done by 10pm only. I went to check car as in place of ghodi, my brother had to do entry via car with dhols. Car was dusty in the parking so had to get it cleaned. I asked a boy there to clean it. Then, I came back to tilak ceremony.
In the hall, people coming to me and congratulating. I was asking them to have dinner and some here and there talks.
At 8pm, tilak ceremony was over and my brother went to his room with his friends and started dressing. Photographers followed him. In next two hours, I was meeting people, taking them to have food, checking status from everyone etc.
The clock logged 10pm but bride didn't come from beauty parlour. I checked with them, they said, your appointment was from 5pm to 8pm and she came at 7pm so we have to adjust her with other appointments. I still asked them the possible time but they didn't commit for any time. They only said that we have 3 more bridal makeup appointments after her from 6pm to 9pm and 8pm to 11pm. Dhole wale told me that they are leaving, they have to go. I somehow requested them to wait for 1 more hour and offered them delicious food. They got convinced. I checked car, it was cleaned.
We waited and waited till 12am when bride came from beauty parlour. By this time, all local relatives, friends were left. Some relatives went to sleep. Hall was looking almost empty. I had to call people in the hall to show some crowd. Then, we did groom's entry with car and dhol. We danced a lot but felt that we are already late so allowed rituals to take place. I with my wife and some relatives took my brother up to stage. Near stage dhole wale went crazy and kept drumming, we all family danced again. Then, bride did entry with dhol and her relatives. We then let dhole wale boys leave.
At 1am, varmala happened with photography on the stage. Then, they had food. Then, bride-groom went to upper floor for phere. All of sudden, I felt unbearable pain in my feet, maybe because of dance or maybe because of shoes. So I had to go into my room for rest. I called my dad that I'm taking rest for 1 hour, if anything very urgent then call me. I removed my shoes and laid-down. Still the pain was unbearable to me. My wife gave me foot massage. I started feeling relief in pain and don't remember when I felt asleep.
At 3am, my phone rang, it was car decorator, he arrived. I went down to parking and instructed him - to decorate. He took 1-hr to decorate. In the meantime, rituals were still going on. I was so tired by now (4am) and felt sleepy. So went to my room and slept again.
At 6am, my dad called me that get all stuff packed and send to home. I had tea and arranged stuff in 2-3 cars to send home. Also, helped people to go home. Cars came back to pick more stuff, aligned them again. At 9am, I with my wife, we brought together my brother and his dulhan (wife) to house in car. My dad and my two uncles followed us in other car. They were the last people who came home.
