It was one of life’s most unexpected and pleasant surprises that has brought me to an unbelievable, out-of-this world wedding in Jaipur, India, and it all starts with a grocery run.

[All the pictures of the wedding can be found in Flickr album.]

On our first day in Jaipur, Edy and I needed to buy some basic grocery for our Airbnb. When exiting the little mart, we heard loud music playing, flashing light and cheers down the quiet residential road, and decided to investigate. Turns out it was a bachelorette block party for a double-feature wedding. The lovely sisters Shahina and Samreen will celebrate their weddings at the same time, two days later.

After shamelessly expressed our interests to “dance together” with the brides, we are swiftly invited onto the stage. It was a blast. We had a fantastic time bollywooding with the gleeful ladies and lads, and at some point during the jolly Gangnam Style was played, twice. I guess even in India, seeing strangers from China and Ethiopia fooling themselves on stage is a rare occasion.

Upon finishing embarrassing ourselves, the brides and their friends invited us to the wedding ceremony in two days. Luckily we will still be in town. So we went.

The wedding is one of the most magical moments I have ever experienced. It is a carnival, a festival, an unlimited supply of unimaginable colors, senses, tastes and emotions all come together. My feeble words cannot serve it right. Even the most vivid pictures pale to the reality of that special moment when happiness clenches to everyone’s heart and it prevails to extend that one moment to a long, long time.

The wedding started around 7 pm, when guests arrived and men and women were separated. The gentlemen waited outside for the grooms when women accompanied the brides inside. There were fire and fireworks lit up.

When the groom was announced to arrive, the crowd bursted into feverish music and dancing.

In the meantime, the brides and ladies arrived much earlier than the men. They stayed in and chatting waiting for their princes.

Greeting the grooms and gentlemen, ladies lined up at the gate welcoming their most honored guests, and there were flower pedals everywhere.

Here comes the groom, on his white horse!

The crowd transformed into craze and flowers started showering down.

The men and wives talked to the elders and signed.

And they live happily ever after.

An orange bear was congratulating the newlyweds!

The Q&A with relatives.

A shoe stealing ceremony was performed by the in-laws. Now it was time for binding a new family! In this special occasion, one bride was stealing the shoe from the other one’s husband:)

Look at the impeccable catering!

The naan-master.

And the food!

It was an amazing wedding. I would not even dream of an event quite like this. My best wishes to the lucky couples, and to their many many happy years to come.