Amp up Your Traditional Kongu Marriage with These Styling Tips for the Bride

Weddings - the moment we hear this word we start imagining a beautiful union of two people, being bound together by love, forever. Sounds cheesy? Well, weddings make us cheesy, we can't really help it. Anyway, don't you think weddings are all about love too? We sure do. But what we also know weddings are about are rituals, customs, festivities and gorgeous clothes.

Indian weddings are the most colourful, vibrant and energetic events one can ever come across in their lives, and no, we are not being biased. Different states and cultures in India have their own set of wedding customs and rituals which make them super special.

There are diverse outfits for the bride and groom, distinct jewellery and most importantly, different rituals. Today we are going to talk at length about Kongu marriages. Kongu is a Tamil Nadu based close-knit community. The people from the Kongu community are called Kongu Vellalars or Kongu Vellala Gounders. What makes their weddings different and special from all other South Indian weddings is what we are going to tell you.

And oh, did we mention that Kongu brides are gorgeous and their attires are even prettier? Well yes, that's true. Read on and we will tell you all about them. Let's start with telling you about the Kongu community first.

What is a Kongu wedding?

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The Kongu Vellallars or Kongu Vellala Gounders are a close-knit and conservative community-based in Tamil Nadu. Even though they are very particular about their customs and very conservative in some ways, their weddings are extremely extravagant. Kongu wedding rituals are latent but have a very profound meaning associated with them.

Here are some of the most unique and interesting rituals of a Kongu wedding:

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Most South Indians have opened their doors to accepting the chanting of Sanskrit mantra while the wedding ceremony takes place. However, Kongu Vellalars still perform all the rites and rituals only in Tamil. The three-day celebrations have many rituals, which are all performed in Tamil language only.

The next amazing thing about Kongu marriages is that they don't have a priest who performs the rituals. There is also no sacred fire around which the bride and groom have to take the vows. The wedding ceremony is conducted by a community elder known as Arumaikaarar. He chants holy hymns in Tamil and thus the rituals take place.

Last but not least, another very distinct feature of a Kongu marriage is the guest list. Apart from the usual inclusions of friends and family, the guest list also has to have a barber, a washerman and a carpenter in the wedding party. All of them have certain duties apart from being esteemed guests.

The barber is responsible for inviting other guests to the wedding. He is also responsible for grooming the groom before the wedding day. The washerman has to set up the decorated canopy called Pandal where the bride and groom sit before the wedding ceremony. The carpenter makes kitchen essentials like plates, saltbox, spoons and a five-room wooden box to store the spices. These wooden accessories are then given to the bride after the wedding.

After the wedding ceremony is over, the bride and groom are presented with new pairs of footwear to symbolise the start of a new journey. This is another unique practice of a Kongu marriage.

The gorgeous attire of a Kongu bride

Image Courtesy: Click Factory Photography

Kongu marriages are nothing if not elaborate and extravagant. This is very evident in a Kongu bride's traditional attire. A Kongu bride is dressed in a heavy pure silk saree. But what brings attention to her attire is the way she is laden in gold jewellery from top to bottom. The traditional jewellery pieces in the Kongu bride's attire include Nethi Chutti aka Maang Tika, Jhumkas, Nakshi and temple jewellery, a Managa Malai and a Guttapusalu Haram. Some Kongu brides also wear a gold Kamarbandh to keep their heavy sarges in place.

Apart from this, there are the Soorya and the Chandran, the sun and half moon shaped brooch-like ornaments that the brides wear on either side of their heads. These are a typical and traditional bridal ornament for South Indian women.

While South Indian weddings are all about gold jewellery, many millennial brides have also started opting for diamond, Kundan and Polki jewellery for their wedding day and other functions.

The traditional attire of a Kongu groom

The grooms in a Kongu marriage wear the traditional white and gold Veshti and shawl. They either pair this with a white shirt or a white silk kurta. Kongu grooms do not experiment much with their outfits.

A few styling tips for the Kongu bride

While the Kongu community is very particular about their traditions and customs, the millennials in that community have now started adding a touch of modernity to their traditional attires. Nobody dares mess with the rituals and customs, but personalising your wedding attire is always an option. If you are a soon-to-be Kongu bride looking for some simple yet chic fashion inspiration for your wedding look, then you are in the right place. Check out what we have:

1. Experiment with your hair

Since Kongu brides wear sarees and don't cover their heads, there is a lot of scope for experimentation in the hair styling department. You can opt for various buns and undoes, braided hairstyles, flowers etc. Hire a good hairstylist and they will give you a lot of great options. You can even go completely quirky and keep your hair open if you want. It's your day, who can stop you!

2. Makeup magic

Since most South Indian weddings take place early in the morning, you should try and avoid very dark and dramatic makeup. Fresh, natural and dewy makeup is the new bridal trend this year. Especially for a morning function, soft earthy shades and peachy shades are what you should opt for. If you are someone who loves adding a bit of glam to your makeup look, then you can go for sparkly eye shadow or subtle smokey eyes.

If you want to go full-on glamorous, you can do so at any of your pre-wedding or post-wedding functions like the reception.

3. Pick unique colours

Break the monotony of pinks and reds by picking really unique and vibrant colours for your bridal outfit. There are so many brides out there who wear red, pink and orange silk sarees for their wedding ceremony. Be different and opt for a parrot green or an electric blue saree. The point is to pick the colour that resonates with your personality most. North Indian brides experiment with their bridal lehenga all the time, so their counterparts from Southern part of the country should totally do it too!

4. Jewellery wonders

Lastly, there is no written rule that a Kongu bride can wear yellow gold traditional jewellery only. If you want to wear diamonds or Polki or Kundan, then you do that girl! The best option is to merge tradition with a little bit of modern touch and rock that bridal look. Wear some traditional gold jewellery and add a diamond or Kundan choker to it. Just make sure that the mixing and matching look good together and doesn't seem off. Also, make sure it complements your outfit but doesn't take away the charm from it.

So, this was all that you needed to know about Kongu marriages, the community, brides and grooms. Kongu marriages are really special and unique in more ways than one and we hope you got all the inspiration and information that you were looking for!

Got any questions or suggestions for us? Feel free to drop them in the comments section below.