World of Weddings: In India, arranged marriages are as strong as ever
"CBS This Morning" kicks off our new weeklong series World of Weddings. We sent a team of correspondents around the globe to witness unique ceremonies and understand what marriage means in different cultures. In our first report, we take you to India, a country where modern technology is blending with centuries-old marriage traditions.
One of the most spectacular shows on Earth, taking place on the outskirts of New Delhi, isn't a music video, or even a Bollywood movie; the high-end production is an Indian wedding celebration. Amidst all the food, fireworks and fanfare, here in India centuries-old traditions, like arranged marriages, remain alive and well.
About 90% of all Indian weddings are arranged, and that is despite the rising influence of the West.
Sumit Gambhir is a 29-year old tax attorney, and Vani Mehta, 24, just finished business school. They were only acquaintances, but six months ago both families agreed to the union. Sumit flew to Canada, where Vani was living, and proposed. They'd never dated.
The company claims to have arranged nearly six million successful matches, navigating hundreds of different religions, cultures and languages.
"When we think about love in India, it's not necessarily a chemical reaction where you fall in love. You find love out of respect for each other over time," Mittal said.
Once the marriage is arranged, the wedding arrangements begin.
"So, people have their family, then family's family," said TV wedding host Ambika Anand. "Then, in India, there's this huge thing that everybody gets offended if they're not called for a wedding. So, it might seem really large to Western audiences – you guys have 100 guests and if 101 person shows up, you're like, 'Oh my God, where will they be seated?'"
A small wedding venue might have 500 people. Have a slightly bigger family? Wedding venues can hold 1,200, or 2,000. That includes Bollywood blowouts like one hosted by one of India's richest families.
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