Mandap design ideas have come a long way. The mandap décor can be customised as per the location, season, design-requirement, type of wedding and so on. But a mandap is a must. Why?
Because the one element that is a must in any Hindu traditional wedding – the mandap. The mandap or mandapam as it is known to be is crucial to the traditions and rituals of the core Hindu wedding customs. Therefore, the wedding mandap and the wedding mandap decoration is sacrosanct and an integral part of Indian wedding decor.
The mandap is sanctimonious in nature and is considered to be a sanctum sanctorum. It is placed at the very centre of the wedding decorations. A wedding mandap decoration is just not any mandap décor or mandap design but it has to have pleasing design aesthetics, as well as the entire mandap design, has to have a proper meaning behind it. A typical mandap design is made up of four pillars, each of which has meaning and importance for a blissfully wedded life, with a canopy on top. Only the immediate members of the couple’s families are allowed within the mandap along with the priest or priests.
The wedding mandap and the wedding mandap decoration has an interesting history and dates back to centuries before when weddings took place within the four walls of the couple’s home, more specifically, the girl or bride’s home. Only close family members were a part of these celebrations. Therefore, the marriage mandap decoration came into being. However, even though today, the wedding mandap has many many mandap design ideas and mandap decoration has evolved a lot, the idea behind a wedding mandap remains the same.
The wedding mandap, being a four-pillared structure with a canopy shaped like a dome or a semi-circle, defines the sacred area amidst the wedding decoration where the wedding rituals will be carried out. Traditionally, a mandap design was made using wood and other natural or organic materials, however, today, a modern wedding mandap décor may use metals.
To add more to the details of a mandap design, it is important to know what each of the four pillars stands for – they stand for Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa, symbolic of the four stages of the life of an individual.
The four pillars are also symbolic of the four natural elements and the fifth element is the canopy or the open top of the mandap design that stands for ‘space’. Therefore, a wedding mandap is equivalent of a universe.
As we have already discussed the importance of marriage mandap decoration, let us look at 30 stunning mandap design ideas that you can bookmark for your upcoming wedding –
1. The Ganjam Marriage Mandap Decoration
What can be more traditional than study ornate carved pillars for a marriage mandap decoration? Decked with marigolds, white flowers and bells, this mandap design is a delight for all.
2. The Rustic Wedding Mandap Decoration
An open-air wedding by the pool is enchanting right? What if we say the rustic mandap design made up of eucalyptus leaves and crystals created over the pool is not a part of the venue but created just for a wedding? Brilliant, isn’t it?
3. A No-Frill, Simple Mandap Design
Weddings demand elaborate settings but this couple wanted a simple, sweet ceremony and therefore, this traditional South Indian mandap décor has design similarities with the bride’s home flooring of red oxide and therefore, the flooring of the wedding mandap decoration is red as well.
4. A Dash of Fair Magic for Mandap Decor
Love the peachy hues? We do too! So, throw in some peach-coloured drapes and fairy lights, and voila… you have a stunning mandap décor!
5. The Luminous Wedding Mandap Decoration
If you are looking to incorporate nature in your wedding mandap decoration then this luminous foliage mandap design with lanterns is a great option!
6. A Fresh Blooming Marriage Mandap Decoration
Just because you are having an indoor wedding doesn’t mean that your marriage mandap decoration has to be boring! Checkout this indoor mandap design with fresh blooming flowers and a huge natural green wall as the backdrop. Stunning, isn’t it?
7. Traditional Yellow and Orange Mandap Decor
There is a certain charm that yellow and orange marigolds lend to a mandap décor, right? We think so too! This simple yet radiant mandap design for a mehendi ceremony is brilliant!
All Above Images Sourced by: With Love Nilma
8. A Grand Mandap Design with Floral Dome and Pillars
What’s not to love – a huge floral canopy, floral mandap pillars decked in pink, white and red roses, cascading floral strings and the mandap design sitting atop a fountain? It can’t get grander than this!
9. An Eclectic Mandap Design
If you are someone who wants to do things out-of-the-box and don’t want traditional or usual colours for your mandap design, then opt for a purple and green draped mandap design just like this beauty!
10. The Magical Mandap Decor
Add a little magic to your indoor wedding a create a tent-like mandap décor just like this one with some florals and lots of fairy lights! Magical yass!
11. A Flower Garden Mandap Design
Love a beautiful flower garden? Well, you can recreate it indoors with this stunning floral mandap with cascading vines and bells.
12. Sophisticated Floral Mandap Decor
What if you want to cast a spell on the audience and add a dash of mystery to your wedding mandap design? If that’s the brief then this sophisticated and elegant mandap décor is the one for you!
All Above Images Sourced by Samani Decorators
13. Traditional Yet Minimal Marriage Mandap Decoration
Banana leaves are used in many Indian sacred or religious rituals and this minimal yet traditional marriage mandap decoration using white flowers and banana leaves stand-ins for the four pillars of a mandap design, is a really beautiful.
14. A Meandering Pathway Mandap Design
What if you could create a pathway with green foliage and beautiful flowers to lead your lady love to you at the wedding altar? So very romantic, right? Yeah. This beautiful meandering pathway with foliage and floral mandap design is just that!
15. A Grand Tepee Wedding Mandap
A tepee for a mandap design? Why not! Checkout this Moroccan-inspired Bohemian grand tepee wedding mandap with woven carpets and wildflowers.
All Above Images Sourced by Atisuto Events
16. A Rosy Mandap Design
If the brief is minimal and you want to use red roses, try this mandap design!
17. Flowers and Bells Mandap Decor
Love pale pink roses? We do too! Opt for this stunning rose and hanging bells mandap design for your upcoming nuptials!
18. Nature’s Cave Mandap Design
Want to ensure your beautiful mandap design blends in with nature? Try this dome-shaped floral and foliage mandap design.
All Above Images Sourced by Aash Studios
19. The Tree of Love Wedding Mandap
When you have a gorgeous Champa tree already at the wedding venue, then you must suspend thousands of Rajnigandha floral ladis to create a fantastical wedding mandap like this one!
20. A Dreamy Marriage Mandap Decoration
When you want your dreams to come true, you opt for this beautiful marriage mandap decoration with a lot of nature and transparent glass bottle hangings!
All Above Images Sourced from Fireflies Decor
21. The Phenomenal Wedding Mandap
A phenomenal grand floral wedding mandap with bright yellow, pink and white is definitely going to make a special place in your heart for a long time to come.
22. Stunning Wedding Mandap Decoration with Flowers
When the brief is avant garde, you create this stunning wedding mandap decoration with carnations and roses!
All Above Images Sourced from: Gurleen M Puri
23. A Fairy Tale Garden Wedding Mandap
If you are looking for a contemporary yet fairy tale-like wedding mandap, then this mandap design with florals and custom crown flower stick infusion is the ‘design’ for you!
24. A Floral Pellidoku Mandap Design Fit for Royalty
A colourful, i.e. lime, green, pink, white florals and blues to bedeck your mandap design is just right for a royal wedding, don’t you think? We’d have to agree!
All Above Images Sourced by Decor by Dinaz
25. A Peach Mandap Decor for a Beach Wedding
Image Source: Eventrra Memories
Peach-coloured drapes decked with dainty floral bouquets make for beautiful mandap designs, right? Especially if they are for a beach wedding 😊.
26. Mogra and Marigold Marriage Mandap Design
What can be prettier than a mogra and marigold with pink flowers in a marriage mandap decoration. Nothing. A classic traditional beauty this one.
27. A Majestic Floral Wedding Mandap
When the sheer scale of a wedding mandap and its décor can wow us, we know we are in for a grand wedding. This wedding mandap with floral canopy and exotic flower hangings paints a picture of perfection.
28. A Pop of Pastel Marriage Mandap Decoration
If you love your pinks, peaches, whites and blues, then this pop of peachy hues as seen in the marriage mandap design is just right for you!
All Above Images Sourced from Marriage Colours
29. Temple Marriage Mandap Decoration
Image Source: Sweet Pickle Pictures
Looking for a temple-like marriage mandap decoration? Try this mandap design where the entire marriage mandap decoration is made up of yellow and orange marigolds.
30. Marigold and Mogra Mandap Design
Image Source: R2S Signature Weddings
When the brief for your mandap design is minimal with a dash of marigold and mogra!