Kanyakumari does not feel like the rest of Tamil Nadu, and its weddings do not either. The district is green and hilly on its western side, closer to Kerala in landscape and in language, and it has one of the largest Christian populations in the state.
That means church weddings are the local norm rather than the exception. A church ceremony asks for different work from a mandapam morning: hair set to hold a veil and to survive it being lifted, a softer finish suited to cooler and more even church light, and a schedule fixed by the church.
The humidity is the other constant. The far south catches both monsoons and the air is damp for much of the year, so bases are chosen for staying power. Hindu ceremonies continue alongside across the district, and both are covered in the same finishes.
