And Rohini Jonnalagadda and Jacob Haar’s June 2009 wedding in Lawrenceville was no exception. It was a four-day event with the traditional Hindu elements, but also had the added complexity of incorporating Jacob’s Jewish background. On Thursday, June 18, about sixty guests attended the Mehndi ceremony, when intricate henna designs were painted onto the hands and feet of the women in the family. The couple then hosted the Sangeet party on Friday night, where three hundred guests danced the night away at the Rasoi Restaurant in South Brunswick. Rohini’s sister and bridesmaids also performed a traditional Indian dance.

Then on Saturday, 325 guests headed to the Brearley House in Lawrenceville where they attended a three-hour Hindu ceremony and a thirty-minute Jewish ceremony, performed by Jacob’s father, who was ordained for the event. The female guests received strings of jasmine, a common gift at Hindu weddings, and the male guests received yarmulkes personalized with the couple’s names and wedding date. At the reception that followed, guests danced to Indian music, Arab pop, and American songs. The following day, the couple hosted a brunch, which completed their four-day event.

Finding caterers and venues to host elaborate affairs such as this can be a challenge. At the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe (201-836-0600; marriott.com), Patrice Jungermann helps to plan about twenty Indian weddings each year. She suggests to make sure your venue can accommodate the following unique characteristics of a traditional Indian wedding:

Space for the groom’s reception. Forget the fleet of Bentleys or party bus. In a traditional Indian ceremony, the groom arrives on a horse, and the guests—hundreds of people—gather to greet him. Be sure your venue has the space to host this event.

Available changing rooms. Each region of India has different wedding traditions, but clothing plays an important role in any Indian ceremony or celebration. Not only do brides change an average of two to three times during the Hindu wedding, but guests often change, too. Your venue should be able to provide at least two changing rooms—one for women and one for men.