A TWO-DAY AFFAIR

A Combination of Two Cultures...

We are so excited to make our wedding a celebration of the coming together of our unique backgrounds. Adrienne's parents have roots in the East Coast and come from the Quaker tradition, which emphasizes community, simplicity, and humility as its core values. Vika is a first-generation Indian-American from a South Indian Hindu family.

Above all, we are Coloradans in our own way. Adrienne is a Boulder Native; Vika, a Texas Transplant. But we love everything Colorado has to offer, from its unparalleled beauty to the relaxed pace of life and the kindness of its residents. Through our wedding, we want to bring our two cultures together in the most perfect of locations--Vail, Colorado. We hope you can join us in this mountain paradise.

On this page you will find information about the schedule of events, and a description of each event. We hope that you will enjoy learning about each event and its significance to us. 

DAY 1

Day 1 will consist of two events:  the western ceremony and the mehendi/sangeet/welcome dinner. We hope you will join us for both!

Western Ceremony

Time: Friday September, 14th at 1:00 p.m. Each person will need to take the gondola up. Please arrive at the bottom of the gondola no later than 12:15 p.m.

Where: Vail Wedding Deck

Description: Please join us at the top of the mountain for our Western ceremony. This ceremony will include Quaker traditions and our own vows.  We look forward to sharing this event with you.

Attire: Formal. Please remember that it can be cooler at the top of the mountain so you may want to bring a sweater or a shawl.

MeHendi

Before the welcome dinner, the bride will begin to get  her mehendi done in the bridal suite. The mehendi  is an important tradition in Hindu weddings. It is said that the rich color symbolizes the strength of the union between the soon-to-be-married couple, and it is believed that the deeper the color of a bride’s mehendi, the happier and more prosperous her marriage will be. As part of the tradition, the grooms initials are often hidden in the bride's mehendi. The groom is supposed to try and find his initials before the end of the night. Adrienne welcomes anyone who  is interested to stop by and visit. If you are busy exploring Vail instead, do not worry, she will also be getting her mehendi applied at the welcome dinner/sangheet. 

Welcome dinner/sangheet

Time: 5:00 PM- 9:00PM. Please feel free to come and go as you please.

What: Sangheet is a Sanskrit word that means "when sung together." In some Indian cultures, this is an important pre-wedding event that includes performances for the bride and  groom. While this is not a common practice in the South Indian tradition, it is very popular in U.S. Indian weddings from all regions. Our take on this event will be more casual. While the bride gets her mehendi (and other women get theirs), we will have casual Indian food (dosa, bhel puri, chaat) and a big space where everyone can get to know each other. 

Attire: "Colorado Fancy." Please wear the clothes you feel most comfortable in. This event is not extremely formal so we welcome casual dresses and salwar kameez for women. Men are invited to wear button downs (no tie necessary!) or jeans and a blazer.

Kashi Yatra

Begins at the top of the Lionshead Gondola at 4:20 p.m. Please make arrangements to get on the gondola no later than 3:50 p.m.

In this ritual, the groom pretends that he does not want to marry but instead prefers go on a holy pilgrimage to Kashi where he will live a celibate life. With only a walking stick, an umbrella, and other essential items for his journey, he begins to walk towards Kashi (Vika is in for a long walk from Vail). As part of the tradition, the bride’s father stops him and tries to persuade him to choose married life instead. To encourage him not to go to Kashi, the bride's father offers to have his daughter married to him. The groom agrees and is then taken to the mandap.*

*That is, if he can keep his dancing under control ;)

The HindU Ceremony

Begins at the Vail Wedding Deck at 5:00 p.m. Guests will arrive at the Wedding Deck in a procession following the Kashi  Yatra.* 

While many ceremonies last for many hours, sometimes even days, in India (and Houston), we will be having an abbreviated ceremony. Two key rituals to look out for are the Mangala Sutra and the Saptapadi.

The Mangalasutra/thali/maangalyam is a necklace that the groom ties around the bride's neck during the ceremony. It represents that the husband and wife will always be together. Traditonally, a wife will wear it until her husband's death.

Immediately following the Mangalasutra, the Saptapadi establishes the commitment the couple makes to each other. The couple takes seven full circles, walking clockwise around the agni, or fire, representing the seven principles and promises they make to each other. Each step is referred to as a phere. They are tied together with dupattas, which is used to keep the couple united as they make their rounds. Although there is no literal part of the ceremony that parallels the Western concept of exchanging vows, these seven steps parallel this ideal in that the couple ‘vows’ to successfully fulfill these principles during their married life.

Attire: Formal attire of any culture.

* If you are running late, please head directly to the Wedding Deck!

Reception

The cocktail 'hour' will take place in the Arrabelle Square (outside the tent at the bottom of the Lionshead Gondola) from 6:30-7:00 p.m. 

Our reception will be the final event of the weekend and will immediately follow the cocktail hour. We look forward to celebrating together and enjoying a long night of dancing!

Attire: Formal attire of any culture.