On Saturday, September 18, 2010, around 200 guests gathered into our South Ballrooms to watch a marriage ceremony and reception of an Indian bride and Swedish groom.Guests were welcomed to the hall with signs directing guests to the outdoor patio. Guests were greeted on the sidewalk by two cocktail tables decorated in hot pink linen with little green tea light lamps and a basket full of wedding ceremony programs. Guests made their way to the back patio which was decorated with a beautiful, large Mandap with linens of gold, green and reds. An aisle lined the gold chivari chairs with gold and cream colored pillars with beautiful green and purple floral arrangements. The stage was decorated with two gold and cream cushioned chairs for the couple as well as clear chivari chairs for the bridal party on each side. A large alter was centered in the middle of the stage for the bride and groom to sit under. The marriage ceremony consisted of the Hindu Wedding Ceremony; the Swagatam-welcoming of the groom; the Kanya Aagman-giving away of the bride; the Ganeshji Puja (prayers); Var Mala (couple exchanging garlands signifying their love and commitment); Nada Chhadi - tying the knot; Havan - a sacred fire; Mangal Fera (circling of the fire); Seven Steps (prayers and promises to each other); exchanging of rings; Kansaar - exchanging of sweets symbolizing their first meal together; Ashirvad - blessings and Vidaai (receiving blessings from all their guests).
After the ceremony the bridal party went into the grand ballroom for photos while guests entered the entry hallway to have cocktails and hor d'oeurves. A large four sided bar was in the center of the hall which was decorated in green, and pink striped linens with tall gold chivari chairs with velvet green cushions. Little green tea light lamps were decorated on the bar and tall cocktail tables with hot pink linen were scattered in the hall. A table in the corner had pre-poured tall glasses with lemonade. Another table with coral colored placecards and votive candles was decorated with a beautiful branch arrangement in a potted vase decorated with florals. Green uplights were placed in the corners of the room giving the room some accent color. A harpist played music for the guests to enjoy.
After cocktails guests entered the grand ballroom which was decorated in linens of light green with a mixture of different floral arrangements. Some tables had tall vases topped with a huge variety of florals of pinks, purples, greens and whites. Other tables had a small tree branch arangement covered in florals and the remainder of the tables had a green and purple and white floral arrangement. Each table was named after a location the couple had been together. A photo of the couple in that location was in a small frame and placed on each table with the name of the place they had been. Every place setting had a small photo of the couple and on the back it was a note that instead of party favors the couple made a donation to their favorite non-profit - the kidney foundation. Also on every table were copies of a Swedish song book for guests to take home.
The bride and groom sat at a large square table with a beautiful floral arrangement and votive candles all around. The bride and groom sat on a smaller white couch with two large maroon colored throw pillows which had their initials monogrammed on them. To each side of the couple's table was white pipe and drape for a background and a smaller, white chair on each side with throw pillows and end tables so it created a lounge type area. Clear chivari chairs were surrounding the head table. Behind the head table on two columns on each side of the couch were beautiful floral arrangements that looked like mini trees.
Off to the sides the DJ was setup and on the other side of the room was a chocolate fountain (provided by Capitol Chocolate Fountains) with dippable fruits. The fireplace mantal was decorated with memorial photos for the couples grandparents along with some candles. Surrounding the room were uplights of pink along with purple spot lights and different colored lights with different designs on the ceiling. The bride and groom entered into the ballroom with a large spotlight on them and proceeded into their first dance to a Dave Matthews Band song.
The front of the manor, outside entrance was decorated with purple uplights which illuminated the building.
One of the junior bridesmaids did a special dance for the bride and groom as well as a few toasts and speeches from the rest of the family.
The small ballroom held the buffet provided by Bollywood Bistro and R&R Catering. The menu was a mix of Indian food and Swedish-American food. The indian menu provided by Bollywood Bistro featured Kadai Puneer - colorful peppers/cheese/zesty tomato; Dai Makhni - black lentils/double cream/purreed tomatoes; Chicken Tikka - bbq chicken/creamy tomato sauce/honey; and Tawa Vegegtables - karela, jeera ahou (potato with cummin), eggplant. The Swedish-American menu featured food from R&R Catering which included Sirloin Steak with sesame seeds, balsamic glaze with a hint of honey; Kulpotatis - swedish potato dish; and garlic-mustard green beans.
Guests also enjoyed cake provided by Windows. The cake was a three tier, cream colored, circle cake decorated with white flowers and hot pink roses as an accent. Each layer was a different flavor, including one layer which had full blackberry pieces in the cake.
All lighting in the room was provided by Dharma Events; Decoration by Partyland; Event Planning and Design by Dragonfly Events & Design; food by Bollywood Bistro and R&R Catering; staffing by C & G Catering; cake by Windows; floral arrangements and centerpieces by Dever's Design.
Thanks to all who helped make this one of the most beautiful weddings! The couple and guests enjoyed every minute of the evening. We wish them all the best!
