Sushma and Bobby

We were incredibly honored to be invited to Sushma and Bobby’s wedding. They are friends we really enjoy spending time with but we don’t get to that frequently which hopefully changes in the future. All three of us cherish being able to spend their special day with them.

The couple picked an amazing place and day to get married. The weather was a perfect 10, both the women in dresses and the men in suits were comfortable. The day’s significance was heightened by the gorgeous setting highlighted by the abandoned mill and waterfall. Having an open backed stage so that the waterfall could be seen behind the couple was one of the little details that I enjoyed about this wedding.

Bobby walking in with his family, I missed capturing his little dance step.

The ceremony followed the traditional Hindu structure, but with a lot of English so that Bobby (and most of the audience!) could follow along. In another one of those special touches this sign brought a huge smile to my face.

This sign was too cute

Bobby completed relaxed about what's going happen

One of the challenges of having a three year old is that bathroom breaks are often poorly timed. Mira just had to go right before the bride walked in, so poor Sonali missed this part.

Sushma walking down the aisle

I must be getting soft, or maybe it’s a side-effect of having a daughter, but I’ve been finding a bride walking down the aisle the most emotional part of a wedding. I think it shows how truly important expressions of love are to us as humans.

One difference between modern Hindu weddings and western ones is that it’s the guy that’s behind the veil. Normally there’s an extensive ceremony before it’s removed, but the couple opted for a more straightforward approach.

The veil is lifted, Bobby has not transformed into an elephant

The traditional exchanging of the garlands

I think I was busy playing with Mira during the explanation of this segment. All I know is that a ritual involving rice escalated quickly.

Sushma wiping Bobby's face after pouring rice on his head

Bobby return the favor with a liberal handful

The ceremony couldn’t get more praise than the fact that Mira insisted on sitting on my lap so she could get a good view of what was happening. We were outside in a field, there were other kids playing, there were bubbles and still she wanted to watch the wedding. She was very curious and wanted to know all about this “birthday party.” (All parties are birthday parties.)

Mira

The most critical moment in a Hindu ceremony are the 7 laps the bride and groom take around the fire. Each of this passes has a special significance with a specific prayer or commitment to each other.

Sushma leading a trip around the Havan

Sushma reading vows

At the completion of the Hindu ceremony, the couple had a brief Western one officiated by Sushma’s Uncle where they exchanged their own vows.

Sushma's Uncle using the powers invested in him by the universe

And the moment we’ve all been waiting for…

Husband and Wife!

Immediately following the wedding was a cocktail period with beer and snacks, including some very tasty Samosas. The reception was over the creek on the other side of the property.

Mira, Sonali, and me

Catching up with our old friends, the Flemings

The reception dinner was family style with a mix of western and indian dishes. The adults found the food yummy, I particularly liked the vegetable stew. It wasn’t till the pesto pasta in the final round that we found something that Mira would eat. Good thing too because the fuel was needed on the dance floor. We had a lot of fun and got to catch up with our friends the Flemings that we don’t see anywhere near often enough.

I’m grateful that I got to share in the moment with couple. Judging by their wedding festivities, they are in for an awesome marriage.