Baraat Ideas | Creative American Indian Weddings (2023-2024)
Updated: Dec 10, 2022
Ajay Manaktala is founder of Special Occasions DJ & Lighting, the company that revolutionized the mobile baraat system many years ago. In this post he tells you the best way to come to your Hindu wedding in style, and the pros and cons of each way. These are trends we see every week, and each have their own ups and downs!
When I was getting married, I had so many choices for my baraat. Should I dance and walk in with my gang, jump on someone else's BMW (hey, one day!) or try the whole elephant thing? So now that I've DJ'd and worked over 500 baraats, I know what works and what doesn't.
And why.
How do you have an Original and Unique Baraat?
The baraat is the groom's grand entrance at Big Fat Indian weddings, and it's a tradition that has only got crazier and bigger with each passing year. It used to simply be a horse or elephant to marriage hall, and now it can go up to skyscrapers, helicopters and jet skis.
While I don't recommend you miss half your pre-wedding festivities to drive to a helipad 20 miles away only to get a 3 second glamorous photo, I do advise the following.
Ok helicopter maybe.
1. Horse
Cost: $1200-$3000
Pros: Easy to find, most hotels will allow it, not insanely expensive
Cons: Horse might boop, you can't get off and dance. Horse might get freaked out with all the dancing .
2. Elephant
Costs: Upwards of $5,000
Pros: The traditional baraat by definition. Insane photos.
Cons: These days with all the laws (by good measure) it's not really advised. Maybe 5% of California weddings have an elephant. Also you can't dance. Could scare the elephant too!
3. Luxury Car with Carnival Girls (If wifey is ok with it)
Cost: Maybe $400 or borrow someone from the family circles car. $200 to dress it up with stuff.
Pros: Variety of options.
Cons: You might not be able to get out and dance.
4. Simply Walking with your Gang
Cost: Nothing really.
Pros: You can dance, it's exciting, you're the groom and the hypeman.
Cons: Not coming in with much fan fare, you will sweat from all the dancing .
But to be honest a lot of grooms opt for this and it's ends up being a LOT of fun as people lift him up and go mad. (People are usually shy from big things like elphants or parade floats).
5. Boat
Cost: $1400 per hour of boat, overall cost around $2500 with snacks and drinks for one hour boat.
Pros: Awesome if you can find one and hotel is by a river. Honestly one of the coolest things to do. You can dance on the boat, not restricted by an Animal, not too expensive if getting married in India or Thailand or Mexico to rent a boat for 2 hours. Rock to music on the boat. !
Cons: Very hard to get an entire groom's gang ready and in the boat, on time. Will always run late.
6. Carriage
Cost: $1000 to $1500 with Mule or Donkey or Horse or Car
Pros: Reasonable price, heavily customizable.
Cons: Little slow, still need a horse or something to pull it.
7. Parade Float
Cost: $4500-$5500 to make one and get the vehicle or trailer.
Pros: Unique, not many do it, can customize it however you want, even get yoru friends and family on board.
Cons: Hard to find, takes a lot of space, expensive, you need to be a bit more creative about the design. Possible issues in hotel grounds with turns and parking lots and insurance.
8. ATV
Cost: Maybe $300-650
Pros: Don't need to balance like a motorcylcle
Cons: Not many can join you, you might ditch it just to dance.
9. Motorcyle or Scooter
Cost: Maybe $200 for the rental(s) and $100 for decoration and insurance.
Pros: You can be seated and still enjoy the festivities at eye level with your friends and family.
Cons: Not everybody can use a bike or scooter. Bit small. But cool if you can coordinate or if you're a biker already! (Imagine the bikes revving like a loud Harley to pump up the crowd!)
10. Helicopter
Cost: $4000 to $6000
Pros: Get in the chopper! Amazing video and photo opportunity
Cons: Expensive, can also blow your decoration out of the way, and there is a large lead time to being ready and meeting Helicopter guy far away, and not really being a part of your baraat until it's almost over. Flashy but probably least enjoyable.
11. Tractor Trailer
Pros: Perfect for the country Groom!
Cons: Hard to use on many properties. Could be little tacky if not done with decoration properly. Also hard to find a spotless trailer!
12. Tuk Tuk or Rickshaw
Pros: Easily accessible in Los Angeles and other major metro's that have Baraat's at weddings. You can also get off easily and/or add one or two people.
Cons: A bit small when you actually see it life. Done many times. But a classic choice nonetheless.
WHATEVER YOU PICK, ENJOY YOUR BARAAT!
Remember, the priority as we always say over the flashiness with Indian weddings (even though we rely on that) is to enjoy the experience.
So don't get too caught up in spectable, it's about you dancing with all your friends because they have all come from across the world to SPEND IT WITH YOU!
So whichever lets you be stress free and have a good time hugging and dancing with all of that, that's what you pick!!!!
Want any of these for your Baraat in North America? Do contact us today as we serve California, Arizona, Nevada, Mexico and more!