Welcome to the wedding of Jessica Brunton to Rohit Thomas

As part of the ceremony Rohit tied the minnu around Jess' neck, and presented her a wedding sari.

In the Indian culture, the Thali is the symbol of an Indian married woman. The Syrian Christians have accepted this cultural norm in the form of a Minnu. The Minnu is a small gold ornament traditionally formed in the shape of a leaf. A cross made out of seven small spheres rests at the centre of the gold leaf representing the seven sacraments of the Church. The Minnu is strung on a string made of seven strands of thread taken from the Mantrakodi, which is the wedding sari. The Bridegroom, Rohit, ties the Minnu around the Bride, Jessica's, neck in the presence of the Priest and the congregation, who are the witnesses to this act. The Minnu is tied in the form of a reef knot, a type of knot that is secure. This act symbolises that marriage is a lifetime commitment. The Minnu is a symbol worn by the Syrian Christian Bride all through her life even unto the grave emphasising the permanency of marriage.

The Manthrakodi, also referred to as the Wedding Sari, is the Rohit’s gift to Jessica. After tying the Minnu around the Jessica’s neck, the Rohit drapes Jessica with the Manthrakodi to symbolise that he will protect and provide for her for the rest of her life. Once the Manthrakodi is draped over Jessica, a lady representative from the Bridegroom’s family stands beside the Bride to welcome the Bride into the Bridegroom’s family. In this wedding it was Brooke, Rohit's sister in-law.