Gujarati Wedding Invitation: Kankotri Wording and Functions

In a Gujarati home the kankotri is more than a card. The first one is offered to Ganesh and to the kuldevi before any guest receives theirs, and the family often keeps a copy for years. A good kankotri keeps that sense of ceremony while making the dates and places easy to find.

The order of a Gujarati kankotri

1. Ganesh and the kuldevi. "॥ શ્રી ગણેશાય નમઃ ॥" at the top, often with the family deity, for example "શ્રી અંબે માતાની કૃપાથી".

2. The hosts' invitation, usually from the bride's or groom's grandparents or parents.

3. The couple: "ચિ." (Chiranjeev) before the groom's name, and "ચિ." or "કુ." (Kumari) before the bride's, with both sets of parents and their native place, which matters to Gujarati families.

4. The wedding day and time, with the hast melap muhurta.

5. The functions, each with its date, time and venue.

6. The family names who send their regards, and the "lagna nimitte" note.

7. R.S.V.P. with two or three phone numbers.

The standard Gujarati lines

The line "આપને સહકુટુંબ પધારવા ભાવભર્યું આમંત્રણ" means "a heartfelt invitation to you and your family to come". It is the phrase most elders expect.

The same invitation in English

For relatives outside Gujarat, a Hindi version is useful:

The functions to list

• Chandlo Matli: the engagement, where the bride's father applies a chandlo (tilak) to the groom and gives the matli, a pot of sweets and gifts.
• Mandvo Muhurat: the ceremony that sets up the mandap at home and begins the wedding days.
• Grah Shanti: the puja for the nine planets, with close family.
• Pithi: the turmeric ceremony, the Gujarati haldi, full of songs and teasing.
• Mameru: the bride's maternal uncle brings gifts and her panetar saree. Her mama's family will expect to be named.
• Garba or Dandiya night, sometimes with Sanji: the evening of folk songs and dancing that most guests remember best.
• Jaan: the groom's procession arrives, and the bride's mother welcomes him with the ponkhvu.
• Hast Melap and Mangal Fera: the joining of hands, the four pheras and kanyadaan. This is the main time on the card.
• Vidaai and the reception.

Tips that save confusion

• Separate days clearly. Gujarati weddings often move between a home, a party plot and a hall. Give each function its own line with day, date, time and venue.
• Mention dinner. "ભોજન સમારંભ" (dinner) with a time tells guests whether to eat before they come.
• Native places matter. Writing "of Anand" or "of Vadodara" after the parents' names helps relatives place the family instantly.
• Two phone numbers for R.S.V.P., one from each side of the family.

Sending it on WhatsApp

Most Gujarati families now send the kankotri digitally to everyone except the closest elders, who still receive the printed card with mithai. Send it personally with a line of your own:

Design that suits a Gujarati wedding

Bandhani and patola patterns, Ganesh in gold, kesariya and green, and a mandap or toran motif all feel at home on a kankotri. Keep the function list readable on a phone: one function per line, never a paragraph. You can type your Gujarati wording into any of our wedding invitation designs, add the garba night as its own function with its own map, and send one link. For printed cards, start with a free card with name editing.