In Goa, it is not a custom to have bridal showers and bachelor parties, though, a lot of couples getting married nowadays do include these in their wedding plans. The only shower I had was the one given to me by my colleagues in office. It was a real surprise - I was not expecting one, since I could not invite anybody to the wedding. It is a custom to have an engagement party where engagement rings are formally exchanged. The party is usually limited to close friends and family. Its is also customary for the bride's faimly to hold a party the day after the wedding where the bride and groom are guests of honor
The Engagement Party
We went home around a week before the wedding so it was all a big rush... We had an engagement party a few days before the wedding. The party was just for family and was held at the bride's home. The chaplain came to home to bless the rings and say a few prayers.
The Day After
As I mentioned above, it is a tradition in Goa to have a lunch/dinner party at the bride's home the day after the wedding. The new couple stand at the threshold of the bride's house and the bride's parents usher them in. Only after that does the groom's family enter the house. Before bringing in the newly married couple, the bride's parents may present the groom with a gift, usually, a gold chain or tie pin, etc. (a gold chain in our case). Angelo and I came back from the hotel around 11:30 a.m. and then we all set out from his home at around 1 p.m.. My whole family was there to meet us. We said a few prayers and then it was time to party. The food was delicious... there was roast pork, salads, sorpotel and lots of other goodies.