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(Disclaimer: This post is not meant to offend or hurt anyone. It is just my observation, made entirely in jest, after attending eight weddings in two years. Please read with chai, humor, and an open heart.)

If you grew up in India—or worse, got married in the early 2000s or earlier—then attending an Indian wedding in the USA will feel like stepping into a parallel universe.

Think Stranger Things, but instead of Demogorgons, you have wedding planners, bridal Pinterest boards, and a DJ who thinks “Kala Chashma” is America’s national anthem.

1. The Bride Is the Commander-in-Chief

In India, weddings are a joint project led by parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, neighbors, milkman, and occasionally the family astrologer.

In the US?

Nope.

The bride runs the show.

She has a vision—“sage green with gold accents and a celestial pastel Sangeet vibe”—and everyone else simply salutes.

Parents contribute here and there:

    •    “Beta, can we have at least SOME Indian food?”

    •    “Please let the purohit finish one full mantra before the DJ starts Punjabi music again.”

But let’s be honest—the food, decor, music, outfits…everything is what the bride wants.

The groom gets to pick…well…maybe the socks.

2. Relatives: Present, But Spiritually Jet-Lagged

The relatives fly in from India, Singapore, Dubai, or Australia…

…and spend the first two days walking around like spiritually confused zombies, powered by caffeine, melatonin, and one emotional speech rehearsal.

They have no idea what their role is.

In India, they would be running around arranging chairs, cutting fruit, yelling at caterers, and making sure the groom is not lost.

In America, the wedding planner has taken all that away, leaving relatives with nothing except:

    •    Staring blankly

    •    Asking “When is lunch?”

    •    Taking awkward photos with props that say “Team Bride”

3. Friends Take Center Stage

If Indian weddings in India are a family production, Indian weddings in the US are a Broadway musical starring the friends.

The friends are basically Avengers assembling:

    •    Coordinated outfits

    •    Entrance choreography

    •    Power-point speeches with embarrassing baby photos

    •    Flash mobs to Bollywood songs (minimum three remixes)

Meanwhile, relatives stand there thinking,

“Yeh kaun hain? And why are they dancing like they are auditioning for Nach Baliye?”

4. Grandparents Get One Shining Moment

Grandparents don’t get many tasks except smiling and offering blessings—but they do get a cameo appearance in the speeches.

Standard lines include:

    •    “My grandpa is a doctor and inspired me to study medicine.”

    •    “My grandmother taught me unconditional love… and also how to make khichdi.”

After that, grandparents are placed safely at a table near the exit with warm food and minimal acoustics.

5. Parents’ Friends: The Forgotten Warriors

Ah yes.

The lowest in the wedding hierarchy.

These poor souls—parents’ friends—have known the bride or groom since they were toddlers.

They’ve seen them grow up, helped with school pickups, hosted playdates, and attended every birthday party.

But at the wedding?

No important rituals, no big roles, no speeches.

Because:

“Arrey no, don’t give them a task. Massi from Surat has come all the way… she will feel bad.”

So what do parents’ friends do?

They do what any self-respecting middle-aged, under-appreciated guest would do:

They hit the open bar with passion and take over the dance floor like it’s a Bharatnatyam-meets-Bhangra war zone.

By 11 PM, it’s always these folks doing their signature move—

“The Spirited Uncle Shoulder Shimmy”

followed by

“Tipsy Auntie Flying Dupatta Spin.”

And frankly?

They are the real entertainment.

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Final Thoughts

Indian weddings in the US are beautiful, modern, efficient, and incredibly fun—but also very different from what many of us grew up with in India.

And honestly, that’s the best part.

Cultures blend, families mingle, and everyone goes home with memories…

…and mild jet lag