1. Finding Proposals - Matchmaking

     The eligible bachelor and his parents used to be engaged in looking for a suitable match (proposal). The matchmaker (sairikecho malo) used to provide information to them about the prospective brides (eligible/nubile spinsters). The groom's party would first visit the prospective bride's home and in case they were pleased with the girl, they would invite the girl's party to visit them.

2. Confirming the proposal/match

     Should the girl's party be happy with the boy, his background etc., they would confirm the proposal and go ahead with fixing the day of engagement.

3. The Engagement

     Both the parties would meet at the parish church (of the bride) and with the signing of the documents of engagement in the presence of the parish priest and their respective gurkars, the formal engagement used to take place. There was no custom of exchange of either the documents of the engagement or the rings. This was (used to be) followed by dinner at bride's residence.

4. Invitation to the Wedding (vovlik)- Oral Invitation

     After both the parties fixed (agreed upon and fixed) the date of the wedding they would invite their respective relatives and friends. Two persons would visit the would-be invitees to give the formal invitation (vovlik) The gurkar (the ward-leader) used to help them in this work.

5. The Pendal (matov)

     The gurkar along with the youth of the vado used to make arrangements for putting up the pendal with areaca trees, palm leaves, and bamboo, 2-3 days before the roce. On the previous day of the roce, they would also collect the utensils, grinding stones for cooking and furniture for seating arrangements from the neighborhood.

6. The Roce

     On the day of Roce, the relatives and the neighbor's used to gather in the morning itself and the teamwork (the preparations ) would commence in full swing. In the evening the close relatives (daiji) used to bring, head-load (vojem) gifts/contributions of food items , accompanied by the country band. In the evening around eight o'clock, the evening prayer would follow the recieving of the blessings of the elders by the groom/bride. ( The bride would be dressed in kirgi- half saree, for the occasion) . The groom/bride would be seated in he pendal, facing the altar of the house,accompanied by 12 best men/bride's maids. The coconut oil and the coconut juice (roce) used to be brought in procession by the mother(if she is not a widow) and elderly relative women. First the mother would apply the oil to the groom/bride with the singing of voviyo starting with kanimgalem thel… and the competition of the voviyo by the women gathered around would begin. Now the roce would be applied by the mother first with the singing of the vovi aprosachi vatli… followed by other women and relatives. The roce ceremony would end with the singing of thambyachea banim…The groom/bride would then be escorted to the bathroom to give him/her last bachelor's/maiden's shower. After the bath, the gurkar would invite the guests for dinner. After the dinner, together with singing, dance etc. the preparation for the wedding dinner next day would take place with joyous merry making.

7. The Wedding

     The nuptials were celebrated in the parish church of the bride. The groom would have twelve best men. The eucharistic celebration ( Holy Eucharist/Mass) was optional, or else there used to be only the plain ceremony of the exchange of the wedding vows and only the groom used to give the wedding ring to the bride. The bride used to wear the white veil, while the groom wore kutanv. After the nuptials all would go in procession to brides residence and have the breakfast. (pejechem jevhann) . After receiving in, the bridal saree with flowers and bridal gifts (sado anim fulam)brought by the bridal family members. Then,with the singing of vovyo and verse the bride used to be dressed in sad as a sign of her entering into the marital status.. The groom's mother would then tie the necklace (piddug) to the bride. The presentation of gifts ( ayer) and the dinner would take place immediately thereafter. In the evening, the bride was taken to groom's residence and formally offered to the groom's family. All this would take place under the leadership of the gurkars.

8. The Portaponn

     On the next day of the wedding there used to be a dinner known as portaponn at groom's place, which would be attended by the nearest and the dearest of both the families.

The grandeur of the weddings of the Olden Times

• The Gurkar had great respect and honor. He used to take up the responsibility of all arrangements and see to the success of the function.
• The host (yezmani) used to welcome the guests warmly offering them beetle leaves and water (paanpod anim udaak).
• The youths of the ward used to be in the forefront in all activities.
• The ladies used to join hands in the cooking.
• The country band music was giving added beauty to the whole function.
• The loving cooperation and collaboration among the neighbor's and villagers was very conspicuous.
• This used to be an occasion for the relatives and neighbor's to come together.
• It was enthralling to hear the traditional wedding tunes/songs (voviyo and verse).