Sikh wedding invitation wording: Anand Karaj examples

A Sikh wedding invitation is simpler than most Indian cards, and it has one rule the others do not: be careful what scripture you print. The Anand Karaj takes place in the gurdwara before the Guru Granth Sahib, the invitation opens with Ik Onkar, and the practical lines matter more than usual, because guests have to cover their heads, arrive on time and know where the langar is. Here is the structure, the lines to use, what the gurdwaras ask, and twelve examples.

The parts of a Sikh wedding invitation

1. The opening. ੴ (Ik Onkar, "There is one God") on its own, or ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ (Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh) in Gurmukhi or Roman. Many families use the Khanda symbol instead of any words.
2. What not to print. A number of gurdwaras, including some of the largest in the UK, ask families not to print lines of Gurbani (verses from the Guru Granth Sahib) on wedding cards, because cards end up in bins. Some extend this to the laavan. Ask your gurdwara; if in doubt, Ik Onkar alone is always right.
3. The hosts. The bride's parents, for the Anand Karaj card. "Mr and Mrs Gurdeep Singh Gill" or "Gurdeep Singh and Manjit Kaur Gill". The groom's parents are named with his name. The reception card comes from the groom's family, or both.
4. The request. "request the honour of your presence at the Anand Karaj of their daughter" is the formal line; "invite you with great joy" the warm one.
5. The couple. With Singh and Kaur on a formal card; first names on a modern one.
6. The ceremony. The gurdwara, with its address and postcode. The times: milni (the families meet at the door), Anand Karaj (the ceremony), Guru Ka Langar (the meal). Gurdwaras keep to their timetable; print the real times and tell guests the milni is the one to arrive for.
7. The practical lines. Heads covered and shoes off in the darbar hall; scarves provided; no alcohol or tobacco on the premises; the langar is vegetarian and free; sit on the floor (chairs for those who need them).
8. The reception. The same evening, at a hall, where the party is. Its own line or its own card.
9. The closing. "With the blessings of Waheguru" or "We seek your blessings".

Anand Karaj invitation wording

1. Formal, bride's family

ੴ

Gurdeep Singh Gill and Manjit Kaur Gill request the honour of your presence at the Anand Karaj of their daughter Simran Kaur with Harpreet Singh son of Balwinder Singh Dhillon and Kuldip Kaur Dhillon

on Saturday, 14 August 2027 Milni at 9.30am · Anand Karaj at 10.30am · Guru Ka Langar to follow Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Elm Road, Hounslow TW3 9AA

Please cover your head in the darbar hall. Scarves are provided. Reception at 7pm, Oakwood Manor, Oakwood Lane, Leicester LE9 9AA

2. Formal, with the Fateh

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ, ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ

Mr and Mrs Gurdeep Singh Gill invite you to the Anand Karaj of their daughter Simran with Harpreet Saturday, 14 August 2027 · Milni 9.30am · Anand Karaj 10.30am Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Hounslow Langar will be served · Reception at Oakwood Manor, Leicester, from 7pm

3. Warm, both families

With the blessings of Waheguru, the Gill and Dhillon families invite you to the Anand Karaj of Simran and Harpreet on Saturday, 14 August 2027 at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Hounslow. Milni at 9.30am, the ceremony at 10.30am, langar after. The reception is at Oakwood Manor, Leicester, that evening from 7pm. Please cover your head in the darbar hall; scarves are at the door.

4. From the couple

With our parents' blessings, Simran and Harpreet invite you to our Anand Karaj on Saturday, 14 August at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Hounslow, 10.30am (milni at 9.30), and to the reception at Oakwood Manor, Leicester, from 7pm. Heads covered at the gurdwara; dancing shoes for the evening. Everything, and the reply form, is on the link.

5. Two gurdwaras, two cities

The Anand Karaj of Simran and Harpreet will take place at Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Elm Road, Hounslow on Saturday, 14 August 2027, milni at 9.30am. Coaches leave the Dhillon home in Leicester at 6.30am and return after langar. Reception at Oakwood Manor, Leicester, from 7pm.

Reception invitation wording

6. Groom's family

Balwinder Singh Dhillon and Kuldip Kaur Dhillon request the pleasure of your company at a reception to celebrate the marriage of their son Harpreet with Simran on Saturday, 14 August 2027 at 7pm Oakwood Manor, Oakwood Lane, Leicester LE9 9AA Dinner and dancing · Formal attire

7. Both families, reception only

The Gill and Dhillon families invite you to celebrate the marriage of Simran and Harpreet at a reception on Saturday, 14 August at Oakwood Manor, Leicester, from 7pm. Dinner, bhangra and a late bar.

The functions

A Sikh wedding has the Punjabi week around it: the mehndi, the sangeet or jaago (the night the family parades with a decorated pot of lights and sings), the maiyan or vatna (the turmeric) and the chooda (the bangles) on the morning. More examples in sangeet, haldi and mehndi invitation wording.

8. Jaago

Jaago night for Simran: Thursday, 12 August from 7pm at the Gill home, 8 Elm Road, Hounslow. Bring your voice; the gagar is ready. Dinner served. Ladies and gents welcome.

9. Maiyan and chooda

Simran's maiyan is at home on Friday, 13 August at 6pm, with the chooda ceremony on Saturday morning at 7am before we leave for the gurdwara. Close family. Yellow for the maiyan.

10. Sangeet

Sangeet for Simran and Harpreet, Thursday 12 August, 7pm, Oakwood Manor, Leicester. Performances from both sides, dinner and a dance floor. Wear something you can dance in.

Lines for the end of the card

11. Practical

Please cover your head and remove your shoes in the darbar hall; scarves and shoe racks are at the door. No alcohol or tobacco on the gurdwara premises. Langar is vegetarian. Parking at the gurdwara is limited; the school car park opposite is open to us.

12. Reply and closing

Please reply by 1 July and let us know which functions you will be joining. With the blessings of Waheguru, we seek your presence and your good wishes.

Things to get right

• Timing. Gurdwaras run a programme and will not wait. Print the milni time and say "please arrive by". Guests who arrive during the laavan sit at the back.
• What to print. Ik Onkar, the Fateh and the Khanda are fine. Lines of Gurbani, including the laavan, are the ones to check with your gurdwara; if they ask you not to print them, do not, and tell your printer the same about the inserts.
• Singh and Kaur. On a formal card, use them. On a warm one, first names are usual.
• Mixed weddings. If one family is not Sikh, say in a line what guests should expect: heads covered, shoes off, sitting on the floor, a vegetarian meal, no alcohol at the gurdwara, and that the reception is where the bar is.
• Children. Welcome at the gurdwara; parents take restless ones to the langar hall.
• The register. Many gurdwaras are registered for marriages and the civil part can be done the same day; others are not and the couple go to the register office separately. The card does not need to say which, but your guests may ask whether the register office is a function.

Where the words go

Every line above has a field on an Indian wedding invitation page. Replace the Ganesh line with Ik Onkar in the opening line field (set the language to Gurmukhi and it is set in a Gurmukhi face), name the gurdwara and the milni, Anand Karaj and langar times on the ceremony function, put the jaago, maiyan, sangeet and reception on their own cards, and the practical lines in the dress and notes fields. The design, Utsav, takes a navy or a saffron accent as happily as rani pink. Guests reply for the household and say which functions they are coming to. One payment of £40 covers any number of guests and functions.