Indian Wedding Garlands: Styles & Planning Guide

The exchange of garlands is one of the most photographed and joyful moments of an Indian wedding. Whether your family calls it jaimala, varmala, maalai maatral or simply "the garland exchange," the garlands you choose set the tone for the ceremony. This guide explains the main styles, how to plan, and how to order wedding garlands from Spice Town Flowers in Vernon, Connecticut.

Where garlands appear in Indian weddings

  • The garland exchange. In many North Indian weddings, the bride and groom exchange garlands in the jaimala or varmala ceremony. In Tamil weddings, maalai maatral is the playful exchange of garlands, sometimes three times, often with family members lifting the couple to make it harder.
  • The groom's arrival. In the baraat, the groom's procession, the groom is often welcomed with a garland.
  • Milni. In Punjabi and many North Indian weddings, relatives from both families greet each other and exchange garlands at the milni.
  • Engagements and receptions. Couples often wear garlands at the engagement (nischayathartham, sagai, roka) and sometimes at the reception or for photos.
  • For the deity and elders. Families frequently order a smaller garland for the deity at the wedding altar and for honoring elders or the priest.

Customs vary a great deal by region and community, so do check with your family or priest about what your ceremony needs.

Popular wedding garland styles

Rose garlands

Rich and full, rose garlands are a classic choice. Red is traditional, and many couples mix red with pink, white or yellow to match their outfits. Rose garlands photograph beautifully and hold their shape well through a ceremony.

Tuberose (sampangi) and lily-style garlands

White tuberose garlands are elegant and strongly fragrant. They are often combined with rose accents or bands of color for contrast. In South Indian weddings they are a familiar favorite.

Chrysanthemum and rose garlands

Chrysanthemums (mums) add volume and bright color, and pair well with roses. This style can be lighter to wear than an all-rose garland of the same size.

Engagement and baraat garlands

Often slimmer and lighter, these garlands suit engagement ceremonies and the groom's arrival.

See our current wedding and engagement garlands.

How to choose

  • Match the outfits. Share the colors of the bride's and groom's outfits. A garland that complements them looks good in every photo.
  • Think about weight. Garlands are worn through long ceremonies. Fuller garlands look striking, but lighter ones are more comfortable. We can help you balance the two.
  • Fragrance. Tuberose and jasmine are very fragrant. If anyone close to the couple is sensitive to strong scents, mention it.
  • Matching pairs. Wedding garlands are usually made as a pair. Tell us if you'd like the bride's and groom's garlands to differ slightly.
  • Extras. Count garlands for the milni, elders, the deity and the priest so that everything comes together in one order.

Plan ahead

Wedding garlands are handmade to order, and some flowers have to be ordered in especially for your date. We ask for at least 7 days' notice. For wedding season and festival weeks, contact us earlier, ideally as soon as your dates are fixed.

A simple timeline that works for most families:

  1. A few weeks out: send a custom garland request with your date, colors, styles and how many garlands you need.
  2. After our call: we confirm the design, price and pickup time.
  3. The day before or the morning of: pick up your garlands at Spice Town, as agreed. We'll talk through timing so the garlands are in good shape for the ceremony.

Keeping garlands looking good on the day

  • Keep garlands cool until the ceremony. A refrigerator or a cool room away from sun works; don't freeze them.
  • Store them loosely in their box, wrapped in a damp (not wet) cloth, and avoid stacking anything on top.
  • A light mist of water shortly before use helps, but don't soak them.
  • Bring them to the venue in an air-conditioned car if possible, and keep them out of direct sun.

More tips are in our flower care guide.

Natural variation

Every garland is made by hand from natural flowers, so color, bloom size and fullness vary from one batch to the next. If you share a reference photo, we'll tell you honestly how close we can get with the flowers available for your date.

Order wedding garlands in Connecticut

All wedding garlands are picked up at Spice Town, 378 Kelly Rd, Vernon, CT 06066. Start with a custom garland request, browse wedding and engagement garlands, or call 860-237-4280 to talk it through. For a large wedding needing many garlands and loose flowers, the bulk order form is a good place to start.