Saptapadi

Saptapadi (Sanskrit: सप्तपदी, romanizedSaptapadī, lit.'taking together seven steps'), or saat phere (Marathi: सात फेरे, romanizedsāt phéré, lit.'seven circumambulations'), is regarded to be the most important rite (Sanskrit: rītī) of a Hindu wedding ceremony.

In this rite, the bride and the groom tie a knot and take seven steps together, or complete seven rounds around a sacred fire, accompanied by one vow for each step. After the seventh, the marriage is considered complete.