I’ve been racking my brain, searching for the most absolute perfect words to describe the Bhakta wedding we attended on

Saturday, I stumbled upon a Facebook post written Lauren Westrich, the incredible photographer for the event.  We absolutely love working with Lauren and are grateful we have had the opportunity to work with her at a few weddings/events recently.  She always captures exactly “who” the couple is and all of the unique details of their day.   Thank you Lauren not only for your outstanding work, but also perfectly summing up our day on Saturday:

“Today was hot! Today was long! But today was one of the most incredible weddings for one of the most wonderful couples I have ever been a part of! Leslie & Vikash are both so delightful, pleasant, and full of life! Their smiles individually can light up a room. Yet, together they will light up the world! Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Bhakta!!!! “

We whole-heartedly agree with everything Lauren shared.  It was a long, hot day, but this was easily one of the most stunning weddings we have attended. From the moment I entered the wedding site (The Expo Building on the Illinois State Fair Grounds), I knew for a fact that Leslie and Vikash had an absolutely gorgeous event planned for their guests.   The decorations themselves were simple, elegant, and the perfect blend of Leslie and Viaksh.  The flowers (True Colors Floral) and the cake (B&K Bakery) were flawless and tied everything in the reception together perfectly.  We loved being able to highlight all of their well-planned details though uprights strategically placed around the room.

The wedding and reception were a beautiful blend of American and Indian culture.  The wedding itself was a traditional Hindu ceremony described in their program as “rites whereby two should come together in a spiritual, mental, and physical bond” and was performed under a Mandap (Wedding Alter) symbolizing “purity and love in the presence of God”.  The ceremony included several rituals specific to the Hindu wedding ceremony but also included the western tradition of exchanging rings. We loved that the ceremony concluded with the newly married couple sharing a dessert with everyone present.

I love that Leslie wore two separate outfits during the evening including a red and gold Sari during the ceremony and a white wedding gown during the reception.  Both were stunning, of course! The ceremony and attire weren’t the only place we saw both cultures uniquely represented. During dinner, both traditional American and Indian foods were available to all guests during by way of two separate food lines.  I loved having both options and having the opportunity to try new foods. Chad went all out and tried everything on the Indian menu including the Athanu (spicy mango pickle) which definitely deserved the description of “spicy” and included a verbal warning from other guests that it was appropriately named.  My personal favorite item on the menu was the Shrikhand (a sweet dish of strained yogurt flavored with saffron and cardamom).  It was absolutely incredible.

By far though, my favorite moment during the night happened on the dance floor.  When we were approached by a woman at the reception asking us to play a “Navaratri song”, we all were a little skeptical.  Requests aren’t always a huge hit at weddings and Navaratri was not something we were familiar with.  She went on to explain that Navaratri is a sacred Hindu festival spread over 9 nights and 10 days and that this wedding happened to fall in the middle of Navaratri.  She promised that if we played a “Navaratri song” all of the women in the room would join in a traditional dance.  We took a chance and trusted her.  When we started her request, guests rushed to the dance floor and began moving in a circle in coordinated dance.  It was incredible!!

I feel like that dance was the perfect culmination of such a stunning day.  The joy that was felt throughout the room was overwhelming and I’m so grateful I had the chance to witness such a beautiful celebration.  Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Bhakta!!