The Family Wedding Experience

A first wedding in the family this generation.....so a big deal, yes.

While pictures talk the language best, one thing that stands out is what a lovely medley of cultures and customs it was.

First off the bride and groom being Indian and American. Then Ruchira herself with mixed parentage. Harshithas mom is telugu (where we connect) and dad is tamilian. Rajeshwar's dad is telugu and mom is Bengali. (we had such brilliant singers and dancers from the Bengali side of family!)

Then we had Harshitha very generously adding in customs as they appealed to her....and outcome was a lovely hybrid, not to speak of impeccably planned. 

She had it all..a pasupu ceremony, the mehendi, the sangeet, the muhurtham ofcourse and the reception. All functions were so thoughtout and personalized, that by end of it, groups from different families all began feeling like one large family. That was wonderful.

I'm choosing and picking pictures from each, and I might go a little overboard as this is also a glimpse for family who couldn't attend.

The pasupu ceremony, Ruchi and Harrison, looking so pretty and happy

Entrance to the mehendi venue...so pretty, ethnic and colorful

Harrison, Ruchi, Diksha and Dhruva

You'd think all girls huh...but then we had Tarun set a trend getting mehendi done :)

Sooo colourful... with Diksha getting her mehendi in background

Some cousin bonding happening. Diksha, Rajesh, Dhruva and Tegen

I love getting these random shots

Ruchira and Shilpi, shaking a leg into the Sangeet evening

Pallavi (Ruchi's best friend), Ruchi and Diksha. It was so wonderful to see how Pallavi stayed by her side through the two days.

More cousin bonding, with Amit and his fiancee Anna

This round table was one of the last to wind up. After which I think Micheal tells me, "your daughter, how old is she?" When I say 21, he's like "no no, that girl...she's a 21 going on 35"

If that was day 1, we now have the big day...starting off with a little baaraat, horse chariot et al

A cousin group, Dhruva, Diksha, Crockett and Tegen

This was a punjabi custom Harshitha picked, where four brothers hold a flower pandiri under which the bride walks to the mandapam. That was Tegen, Crockett, Rajesh and Dhruva....super cute

And the sisters paving the way with petals, Diksha and the others :)

The actual wedding ceremony, with both sets of parents flanking. Harshitha and Rajeshwar on the left, and Sheryl and Lee on the right.

Our core cousin gang, Nanditha, Samhitha, Harshitha and me (Smitha) so yes, you can't miss the 'tha' connect :)

Us three, couldn't help but notice how(by chance) well colour coordinated we were, all events.....enough for someone to apparently comment too :)

A traditional arati aaku (banana leaf) lunch..simply yummm

Another sneaky picture, Diksha helping Dhruva with his tie for the evening reception

All set to go

Kushalma, Vasundhara aunty, Samhitha, Diksha, Bubu Uncle and Dhruva

This little kid, quite openly curious, about Tegen and Dhruvas hairdo's I'm sure

Very evidently I'm the only one who didn't hear Diksha with the camera. With Sunil, Tarun and Sunil's wife (Sunita's missing)

Had to get a picture of the band, they played such amazing songs, right from Frank Sinatra to Beegees to old Hindi

A formal on stage picture. Shilpi, Dhruva, Diksha, Harrison, Ruchira, Samhitha and me

As finale, the next day, Diksha and I did this picture of our left hands....mehendid and tattooed alike :)

Harshitha and Rajeshwar, that was such a wonderfully wonderfully done wedding....... when I get to that stage, I know where to look :)