Written in Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages of the world, the Hindu ceremony is primarily based on the marriage of Surya, daughter of The Sun (Savita), to Ashwinikumar. As the romantic story begins, the bride and groom come to the mandap separately, as if meeting for the first time. An auspicious cloth separates bride and groom as a symbol of their separate existence prior to marriage. They fall in love and ask the parents' permission to wed. After various rituals, the bride and groom leave the mandap a devoted, newly married couple.

Mandaps can be truly beautiful, as they should be since they are the core of the wedding ceremony. Other structures that look similar to the mandap are the wedding canopy and the chuppah. Chuppah is also a covered structure, for Jewish weddings. It's easy to see why these beautiful romantic displays are becoming more trendy and popular, as they emphasize the focus on the bride and groom.

Click here to view a Hindu wedding.