Nowadays marriages are package deals like any other shopping experience/ events you do. Both the Groom & Bride’s side get the marriage hall, then negotiate with a Marriage contractor (according to their Religion / Caste / Faith) to take up the overall responsibility of the marriage which includes the welcome desk to stage decoration to dinner / lunch to music programme to other religious requirements. Hence the bride’s and Groom’s side attends the marriage as a programme by arriving earlier than the guests (but not the Groom & Bride, who are fashionably late for their receptions, attending to their heavy make-up’s).
Seen here the festoons, lighting being checked last minute at the marriage hall just before a wedding reception.
Sounds like a lot of work.
Ram : Yes Ken, you’d be amazed that what i’ve listed is just the tip of the iceberg in a marriage arrangement 🙂