TIRUPATI: Ahead of the Abhishek-Aishwarya Rai wedding later this week, superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Sunday donated Rs 51 lakh for education of poor children and hospital facilities at the Tirupati temple on Sunday. His friends Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and industrialist Anil Ambani who were accompanying him also made a donation each, of the same amount, to the temple trust.

The Big B was at the abode of Lord Venkateshwara to seek blessings for the marriage. Amitabh also placed a wedding invitation card at the feet of the Lord.

Eyewitnesses say that even as the superstar placed the wedding invitation card at the feet of the deity, the temple priests began reciting hymns and performed 'Aaseervachanam' and sprinkled 'Akshata' (holy rice), turmeric and kumkum on the wedding card.

Invitations sent out for Rai-Bachchan wedding: report

Mumbai, April 14 (AP): Two of India's hottest movie stars, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, have sent invitations to their private wedding this month, a newspaper reported on Thursday, adding to the hype over nuptials that have been kept strictly under wraps. For weeks now the Indian media has been reporting that the couple will wed in a small private ceremony on April 20 at Bachchan's family home in suburban Mumbai, but the family has made no comment. The wedding invitations were sent to a select few _ including industrialist Anil Ambani and his wife, Tina, filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Anupam Kher, The Times of India reported. The card, embossed with two entwined As and delivered with a box of chocolate meringues, also invited guests to a pre-wedding party on April 18, the paper reported, citing a friend of the families.

Wedding reception serves as setting for book reading

About 100 women attended a proper Southern wedding reception held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center.

However, no one got married the women gathered to listen to Gayden Metcalfe read portions of her new book about Southern weddings and to enjoy champagne, finger-foods and to have copies of the book autographed by the author.

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FIELDS OF HOPE: Muslim Bridesmaids in a Christian Wedding

On one occasion, I officiated a wedding of a Christian lass from Pikit who tied knots with another Christian from Davao. The fact that some of the sponsors were Muslims did not surprise me anymore. Nowadays, it is getting common for Muslims to stand as sponsors during Christian weddings and also Christians standing as sponsors during Muslim weddings. As a matter of fact, I also stood as a sponsor in a Muslim wedding here in Pikit. The bride calls me Ninong and would bless my hand whenever we meet each other. But what caught my attention were the three bridesmaids. Before the ceremony began I saw them busy entertaining and guiding the visitors and guests. Then, I noticed that they did not join the bridal procession, instead, they just stayed at the entrance of the church.

Wedding Invites Out for Indian Stars

(AP Photo/Gautam Singh, File) :: Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan, left, and Aishwarya Rai look on at the launch of the music from the film "Guru" in Mumbai, India, in this Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006, file photo. A select group of relatives and friends have been invited to the wedding of two of India's biggest movie stars _ Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan next week, a newspaper reported Thursday April 12, 2007. Wedding Vendors - My Wedding Blog offers a free listing for wedding vendors in our comprehensive wedding planning website. Join us today!