Priya Iyer
Priya is the South Asian Weddings Editor, covering Hindu (North and South), Punjabi Sikh, and fusion ceremonies. She grew up between Chennai and Toronto and had attended 31 weddings before she was 28, which is how she ended up writing about them. She holds an MA in Cultural Studies from McGill, and spent the early part of her career at South Asian lifestyle publications before joining the team to build out the cultural coverage at real editorial depth. She lives in Montreal and is usually, by a reasonable margin, the person at any given wedding who knows where the mic is.
Based in Montreal, QC
10 pieces by Priya Iyer
Diwali Decor: How to Style a Home or Hall for the Festival of Lights
A practical guide to Diwali decor for BC homes and halls: diyas, rangoli, marigolds, lighting and table styling for the Festival of Lights, explained.
Mayian (Maiyan) Ceremony: The Punjabi Pre-Wedding Ritual Explained
What the mayian (maiyan) ceremony is: the vatna paste, the seven married women, when it happens before a Punjabi wedding, and how it differs from haldi.
Jaggo: The Pre-Wedding Night, Modernized
The Punjabi jaggo explained: lit copper pots, late-night singing, who hosts, and how diaspora families have adapted it for condos and townhouses.
Desi Wedding: Multi-Day, Multi-Family, One Platform
How to actually coordinate a three to seven day desi wedding across multiple venues, families, and cultural factions without losing your mind.
Baraat: From Horse to Reception in One Day
The groom's procession, demystified: what a baraat is, how to plan one in a North American city, and the permits and logistics no one mentions.
Anand Karaj: Sikh Wedding Ceremony Steps, Timing and Etiquette
How long an Anand Karaj takes, the ceremony step by step, the four laavan, the milni and tea, and what guests wear and do at the gurdwara.
The Haldi Ceremony: Meaning, Timing, and What to Buy
A practical guide to the haldi ceremony: what it means, when to hold it, who hosts, and the shopping list that will save your sister's carpet.
What Is a Sangeet? The Music-Night Primer
A plain-English guide to the sangeet: what it is, how it runs, what it costs, and why it is not a rehearsal dinner.
Mehndi Ceremonies: Everything You Need to Plan One
What a mehndi ceremony actually is, how to book an artist, and the regional differences that most planning guides miss.
The Indian Wedding: Every Ceremony, Cost, and Timeline Explained
A working editor's guide to every ceremony in an Indian wedding, what each one actually costs, and the timeline that keeps families sane.