Wedding prayer

On the day of the marriage, prior to the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom individually take a Nahn (sacred bath), by reciting prayers before and after the bath with their family priest. 

At the wedding venue, the entrance doors are decorated with torans (hanging strings of flowers), the thresholds are covered with beautiful designs of colored chalk (powder), and usually a stage is set for the marriage ceremony. The groom puts on a white ceremonial dress, white being the symbol of purity, innocence and faithfulness, and holds a shawl in his hand, a shawl being considered in India a symbol of respect and greatness. The sari (outer garment) of the bride is a loose dress full of folds and curls, which signify the idea of mystery, modesty, respect, and rank.

A tila (mark) with Kunkun (red pigment) is applied to the groom’s forehead. This mark is always long and vertical and symbolizes a ray of the sun, which is the fructifying agent in nature. The tila placed on the bride’s forehead is round, symbolizing the moon, which shines by the absorbed rays of the sun, and which therefore is represented as a conceiving agent. A garland of flowers is placed round the neck of the groom and bride as a symbol of sweetness and geniality. When the groom arrives at the venue the ladies of the bride's family perform a var-behendoo , (i.e., a water pot is presented to the husband), and they make him dip his hands in it. While doing so, the groom drops a coin into it as a mark of appreciation for the gift. Water is considered to be a symbol of prosperity and also of humility. The groom is then welcomed on the stage by the bride’s mother who performs Achu-michu . The groom then takes his seat on the stage, and waits for the bride, who comes after a short time. Now the groom’s mother performs the Achu-michu on the bride to welcome her on the stage. 

History

Zoroastrian weddings are a religious ceremony in Zoroastrianism in which two individuals, a man and a woman are united. In Zoroastrianism, marriage within the community is encouraged, and is greatly favored in religious texts.

In the Avesta, manhood and womanhood are gained at the age of 15, when they would be ready for marriage. However, in India, the threshold for marriage is set by the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 which states the threshold at 21 for males and 18 for females. If either of the marrying parties are below the age given in the act, the parents of the underage marrying party must sign on the marriage certificate to signify their approval. 

Traditionally marriages are arranged by the parents with the consent of the children. In recent times however, it is not uncommon for this system to be reversed, with the parents consulted about a decision made by the marrying parties.

Auspicious days, such as new moon day or Hormazd, the first day of the Parsee month, are generally favoured for the wedding ceremony, coming on the fourth day of festivities. The first day of these is known as mândav-saro, when a twig of a tree, generally a mango-tree, is planted near the door, symbolic of a wish for fertility. This is followed by two Varadh-patra days when religious ceremonies in honour of the dead are performed.
With the marriage ceremony occurring in the evening of the fourth day the bride and bridegroom will have prior taken baths, known as nân. The marriage must be performed in front of an assembly of witnesses, the Parsi Marriage and divorce Act requires at least two witnesses as well as the priest.[2]
The ceremonial dress of the Parsees is the Jâmâ-pichhoir of which the bride wears a white variety, with the bridegroom sporting the mark of a Kunkun on his forehead.
A few hours before the ceremony a procession forms carrying gifts to the bridegroom's house, usually accompanied by music. It then turns to the house of the bride where, typically, the marriage occurs. The assembly, once seated, awaits the arrival of the groom who is greeted at the door by the mother of the bride. Here a fresh Kunkun mark is placed upon his head.
During the ceremony rice is often used as a good luck symbol, with the bride and groom sprinkling each other with cupfuls of rice. So as to remove any evil destined for the groom an egg is passed round his head three times then thrown to the ground and broken, destroying the evil with it. A similar ritual is then performed with a coconut, and then with a small tray of water which is thrown to the ground.

The Prayer