One of my best guy friends from law school got married in Austin on April 4, which worked out perfectly because my family was able to watch the kids while we celebrated PB and Aarthi's wedding, and we were able to spend Easter with them as well (more on that in a separate post). It was the first Indian wedding that Josh and I had ever attended, and we were so excited!
The festivities kicked off on Friday with a welcome reception and Mehendi, a traditional part of the wedding celebration where the women receive intricate henna paintings on their hands/arms.
I loved my henna design!
The other girls got them done as well. Each was unique and so beautiful.
The welcome reception was not the same as a rehearsal dinner...it was more like a second wedding reception as it was equally large and elaborate.
Complete with performances...
And delicious food...
[This was Josh and my first taste of Indian food, and now we are addicted. We have to get our fix at least once a week.]
The wedding was held at the new JW Marriott, and while it was completely booked on Friday night, we were able to stay there on Saturday. The hotel was amazing, and was set up perfectly for a big event this like this one.
I didn't manage to take many photos of our room, but I did capture the ridiculously cool light fixtures in the bathroom…
Some of the Austin artwork…
And our fabulous view…
Once we checked into the hotel on Saturday morning, the celebration continued with the Baraat, the groom's procession before the wedding ceremony. In this case, PB rode in a (very) nice car through downtown Austin while his friends and family danced along with him through the streets.
As evidenced in this video, we had so much fun!
The ceremony started around noon and lasted for several hours. However, as is customary, everyone was chatting during the ceremony, and they offered refreshments in the adjacent lobby area for when you wanted to step out for a break. This is how weddings should be done, folks.
Having never experienced an Indian wedding before, I found the ceremony so intriguing. Even though I couldn't understand a single word, you could sense the tradition and significance of each part.
There was a break between the ceremony and the evening festivities, so a small group of us headed across the street to Second Bar + Kitchen for some lunch and cocktails.
The party continued on Saturday evening with a cocktail hour and reception.
The decorations were so beautiful.
My handsome date...
During dinner there were several performances, including one by a dancer who can only be described as a hula hoop master.
I mean...
The other dancers were amazing as well!
The wedding was a mini-law school reunion, and it was so fun hanging out with everyone.
Thanks to PB and Aarthi for inviting us to celebrate with you during your special weekend. We wish you all the happiness in the world!
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