It’s always wonderful to see how a couple combines their individual cultures and traditions in their wedding choices, so I know you’ll enjoy these shots from Christina and Sunil’s wedding last month…
After a week full of rain, the sun came out for Christina and Sunil’s outdoor ceremony!
The traditional Hindu wedding ceremony was followed by an evening of dinner and dancing in the Sequoyah Country Club’s Spanish style clubhouse. Built in 1913, the beautiful building satisfied Christina’s love for Spanish culture.
Miniature hand-carved wood elephants from India paraded around each centerpiece, and guests were invited to take them home as favors at the end of the night.
The cake echoed mendhi patterns like those on Christina’s feet and ankles. Below, guests were treated to a Bollywood dance performance.
Christina shares a bit about her experience planning a traditional Indian wedding as a non-Indian American bride:
I had to educate myself on a lot of the rituals and traditions of a traditional Indian wedding, because Sunil, who is second-generation, didn’t know a lot the specifics himself. Some of my local Indian girlfriends were a wealth of information about stores, traditions, and cultural norms (and no-no’s). When shopping for a dress with 3 non-Indian friends and family, I was completely overwhelmed, and the Western-style dress that I chose ultimately seemed like the best choice. I chose a Western-style dress that had an Indian feel to it and could work with Indian jewelry. Otherwise, the wedding was almost entirely traditionally Indian, with the exception of our fusion music and the groomsman and bridesmaid attire. Also, we decided at the last minute not to wear the hats that are traditionally worn by the bride and groom in Bengali weddings.
Ever since I learned about Alder Manor, I’ve been itching to feature a wedding there, and today’s the day! “Charming” and “dilapidated” might not be words you’d imagine would go together, but once you see these photos from Jessie and Brendan’s wedding, I think you’ll understand how it’s possible…
Say the couple of their ceremony: “The ceremony held special meaning because it was the moment we actually committed to each other in front our community. We wanted an outdoor ceremony that focused on honoring our family and friends and the community that has helped us understand how to become our best selves, the selves we want to be with and for each other for the rest of our lives. A good friend officiated the ceremony and gave a beautiful talk that incorporated myth and literature, and really spoke to our values and the values of the communities we are a part of. Holding each other’s hands and hearing and saying the vows we wrote for each other was incredible. We stood on a little dais surrounded by our community, with afternoon sunlight breaking through the trees. We did not share the vows with each other until that moment, and in that moment, we felt the awe and wonder of committing to each other for the rest of our lives, and grateful to have our friends and family there to share it with us.”
The couple on what inspired them in their planning: “As writers, we wanted literature to be a part of the event. Our ceremony incorporated Homer, and contemporary poetry and fiction. We used an old library card catalog to hold the dinner cards, each table was associated with a literary figure we admire, the menus had a list of quotes about love by various authors, and the gift bags included contemporary literary magazines, Slice and The Coffin Factory.”
Yes, that is an empty indoor pool. Amazing! Say Jessie and Brendan about choosing Alder Manor for their wedding: “We wanted the reception to be a rocking party that was not too stuffy and overly formal, but that had enough grandeur to mark the importance of the day. Alder Manor had it all. We held our ceremony in the garden outside the manor. The cocktail party lingered until sunset and guests could wander the grounds of the manor, or nibble on appetizers on the enormous back patio. Dinner and dancing were inside the manor’s remarkable library, dining room, and marble-floored foyer.”
Brendan’s cousins led the crowd through a series of Irish step dances, honoring his family’s heritage.
The bride and groom answered some questions about their wedding for us…
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We fell in love with Alder Manor immediately, which has a charmingly aged and vintage feel. We met in a graduate writing program, and the space appealed to our love of literature. It felt like a mix of Great Expectations and The Great Gatsby. We are also both lovers of the classical world, and had the ceremony in a garden filled with crumbling columns and classical statues.
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? Everything costs more than you think it will and unless you hold your wedding in a location that offers an all-inclusive package, be sure to set aside funds for innumerable incidentals that will arise as the wedding approaches.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? Both our ceremony and reception included traditions that are important to us. Brendan’s uncle Tim played guitar throughout the ceremony and many of his tunes were traditional Celtic compositions. He also played the hymn “Morning Has Broken” and everyone at the wedding sang along, honoring the Methodist tradition that is a part of Jessie’s family’s history. Our ceremony also included a minute of silence, a tradition that was an important part of Jessie’s life since she attended a Quaker school. Our reception included toasts by family and friends, and we had a first dance as a couple, a father- daughter dance, and a mother-son dance, all of which were very meaningful.
What was the best advice you received as a bride? Numerous people told me to make sure that I really enjoyed the day itself, to be fully present and to take each moment in. I recommend trying to bring that mentality to the whole process. Planning a wedding can be very stressful, and there are thousands of unexpected details that crop up. But the process itself allows you to spend time with each other and with family members and friends in both formal and informal ways that are unique and meaningful. Looking back, I’m grateful not only for the day itself, but also for the many moments leading up to it.
Kim and Ken’s wedding was simple and sweet, with classic details and a focus on spending time with each other and their guests. (And can we talk about that romantic bouquet?!)
The custom invitation suite featured California redwoods…
Says Kim, “We wanted our ceremony to reflect God’s love for the world. Our readings included scripture that uses the image of a wedding feast for heaven. The processional included the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy and the recessional was Ode to Joy.”
Before the couple’s departure, groomsmen passed out lavender sachets so guests could send the newlyweds off in a shower of lavender confetti.
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We wanted it to be elegant and warm, so we held it at venues with beautiful, natural wood and stone architecture.
Did you include any traditions (old or new) in your wedding? My goddaughter rang a bell before the bridal processional. I read that this is an old tradition. We also got fairy wings for the two youngest girls, and they ran down the aisle right before the bride – adorable! I couldn’t decide between my having my father or my stepfather walk me down the aisle, so I walked in by myself. When I reached the first row, I kissed both of them on the cheek, and then my mom led me by the hand up to Ken at the altar.
What advice do you have for other brides? Organize optional gatherings before the wedding in order to have time to visit with all your guests. Make sure to make visit all of the tables during the dinner.
There’s nothing quite like a beautiful location to set the tone for a magical event like this charming, low-key wedding, sent to us by photographer Cappy Hotchkiss…
Don’t you love the bride’s tea-length dress?!
Mismatched china patterns added a touch of elegant whimsy to the tables.
Instead of a traditional wedding cake, guests enjoyed a variety of fruit pies and tarts.
The bride and groom’s favorite part of the day? “While the band was taking a break, we set off about 250 paper lanterns from the beach. Right as the last one was floating out of sight, it started to rain. It was pretty magical.”
Details from the bride!
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We’ve spent so many wonderful and memorable holiday weekends at my parents’ house on Lake Ontario that it just seemed totally natural to do it there. The setting was so beautiful and perfect for a wedding…where we had the ceremony is like a natural amphitheater. And for late night we had the beach for bonfires and roasting marshmallows.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? Our inspiration was an elegant picnic where all the china, flatware, glassware, platters, vases were mix-and-match.
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? In England (where the groom is from), weddings are much more casual, lo-fi affairs than they are here, so we went for a look that was more elegant and easy rather than glamorous. The groom’s mother also made bunting for the rehearsal dinner and wedding, which is very common in England.
What advice do you have for other brides? Have fun! Relax! Eat! Dance! There is so much more to life and love than the wedding day, and honestly all that talk about “It’s your day” is junk. It’s everyone’s day! Weddings are about family, friendship, fun and celebration. They are about ushering in a new chapter of life and anything that causes you stress about a wedding should be thrown right out the window – it’s not worth it. Go with the flow!
See more from this beautiful wedding over on Cappy’s blog.
With springtime everywhere you turn, it’s a perfect day to share Erin and Dave’s classic garden wedding with you! Photos by the always wonderful Cappy Hotchkiss.
Every wedding should have a “Say Anything” moment, don’t you think?!
Guests went home with homemade bottles of vanilla extract – yum!
Some details from the bride and groom!
Why did you choose this location for your wedding? We wanted something close enough to the city to be convenient for everyone, but far enough to feel special and not “everyday.” We liked the backyard wedding idea, but when we started thinking about all the catering costs and hassle, Round Hill was the perfect solution. They had beautiful gardens for the ceremony, a lovely old mansion with character for the reception, a professional and warm staff that took care of everything. We fell in love with the place and would do it all over again there in a heartbeat.
What inspired you when you were planning your wedding? Blogs! And our love for each other of course. And blogs!
Do you have any budget tips for other brides? Doing the all-in-one catering/venue really helped us out. A friend of a friend DJed (and was great). We got a lot of things from Etsy and generally didn’t “add on” lots of things. But we got everything we really cared about (a great photographer, venue, flowers, and all the guests we wanted).
What was your favorite moment or part of the day? The entire ceremony was so much more touching than I could have anticipated. I knew it would be special with our two best friends serving as officiants, but there were birds and crickets, and the weather and the wind, and all the guests singing “59th Street Bridge,” and Dave’s vows and… it was all just really perfect and amazing. Then we had a great time dancing and dancing and dancing…
Did you include any traditions in your wedding? We sort of took the “we’ll keep the tradition unless we don’t like it and then we’ll change it” approach. So my dad walked me down the aisle, but he didn’t give me away. That kind of thing. Everyone says this, but we wanted our wedding to be a celebration of love, not just our love, but the idea of love, all the love our guests have for us and each other. I guess that’s traditional, we embraced that.
What advice do you have for other brides? Enjoy the process. It is only one day, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a truly magical, unforgettable, wonderful day.
