Saif, Kareena to solemnize wedding under Special Marriage Act today

Mumbai, Oct 16 : The wedding festivities of Bollywood actors Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan have already begun - the couple will reportedly exchange wedding vows in a private affair today . After a sangeet ceremony Sunday at Kareena's Bandra residence, the Kapoor and Khan clans geared up for the mehndi ceremony on Monday. According to sources, the couple will have a registered marriage today at Saif's house in Mumbai and it will be attended by close friends and family members. However, the celebrations do not end with that.Saif's ancestral home Pataudi Palace in Haryana is being readied for 'nikaah' Oct 17, followed by a reception Oct 18. While Raghuvendra Rathore has designed an achkan for Saif, Kareena is said to be wearing a traditional sharara designed by veteran designer Ritu Kumar. Marriage registrar Surekha Ramesh Adhkikare said here on Monday that film stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor would marry under Special Marriage Act. Adhkikare said, Saif Ali Khan had come to the marriage office on Sept 12 and filed an application for marriage. "He had requested that if possible the marriage might take place at home. On his request we will go for registering the marriage tomorrow. "We will go tomorrow between 11 am and 11:30 am wherever they want to take us. We are also happy because it is one of the biggest marriages here. "Such a marriage requires three witnesses, and the witnesses will be decided on the spot", the marriage registrar said. Lohkare said she had also been invited to the reception, but she would not be able to attend. Asked whether Kareena Kapoor has changed her name, Lohkare said, the marriage application denotes the name as Kareena Kapoor, and not Ali Khan. It depends on her which name she wants to keep." Rules for Indian marriages:A marriage which has already been solemnised can be registered either under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 or under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The Hindu Marriage Act is applicable in cases where both husband and wife are Hindus, Buddhists, Jains or Sikhs or where they have converted into any of these religions. Where either of the husband or wife or both are not Hindus, Buddhists, Jains or Sikhs the marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.Further, marriage can be solemnised between any two persons under the provisions of the Special Marriage Act, 1954.