Parul and Vishal’s Vibrant Three-Day Celebration

by Amy Serrago

Parul and Vishal celebrated their marriage and their cultural heritage in a gorgeous three-day Indian wedding filled with laughter, vibrant colors, love and tradition. On the first day, the couple and their guests were welcomed into the bride’s aunt’s home for a traditional Mehndi ceremony in which intricate designs in henna were applied to Parul’s hands and feet. To personalize the ritual, the designs included the skylines of the bride and groom’s native cities, hers from the west coast and his from the east. Their traditional clothing on day one was in a rich color scheme of teal and gold.

Day two was dedicated to another Indian pre-wedding tradition, the Sangeet ceremony which, when translated from Sanskrit means “sung together”. The event took place at an Indian restaurant and featured traditional dances by family members and songs sung for the bride by the older women in the family. A Sangeet ceremony used to last up to 10 days, but in the modern era, it’s been shortened down to one. Parul and Vishal also got a chance to pose for some gorgeous portraits in their traditional red and gold wedding garb.

On day three, Parul and Vishal headed to the Dolce Hays Mansion in San Jose, California for their highly anticipated official wedding ceremony! The festivities began with a Baraat Processional on Horseback, which is the traditional way for an Indian groom to arrive at his wedding. Vishal was accompanied by a crowd of family and friends to the Mandap where he would finally get to say “I do” to his bride. The Mandap, a traditional Indian wedding altar, was constructed of four pillars and draped in colorful fabric. Under it, Parul and Vishal took part in a Seven Circles ceremony, called Saptapadi in Sanskrit. During it, the couple takes seven steps around a holy fire, making their new relationship as husband and wife official!

After an outdoor cocktail reception and light lunch (and a little time to rest and regroup) it was on to a more western style reception at the Silver Creek Valley Country Club. The groom changed into a classic black tuxedo and his bride wore a stunning black and gold two-piece gown. The ballroom was decorated with glittering gold accents and rich florals. At one end of the room, a special stage was set up as a pedestal where the bride and groom could relax on a vintage inspired sofa while their friends and family made speeches and gave toasts wishing them well in their new life together. The magical three-day celebration ended with a cake cutting and, of course, more dancing! Congratulations Parul and Vishal!