An Arboretum Wedding

Jan 21, 2019 | Day-of Coordinating | 0 comments

I have some photos to share with you!  You may have seen some of these on social media, but I want to share the stories that go along with them here.  My sincere thanks to Artisan Events for sharing their beautiful images.

This was an absolutely amazing, multi-cultural wedding at the Morton Arboretum last summer.  The bride’s family is Catholic, and the groom’s family is Hindu.  The couple did their homework and had a beautiful celebration that honored both sets of traditions.

A pair of hands with henna designs.

The bride had had her hands (and probably more that I didn’t see) decorated with henna.  But she was in a lovely white gown for both the ceremony and the reception.  The groom wore a suit.  But many of the guests wore saris or sari dresses, making the assembled crowd very colorful when they gathered in the Arboretum’s Hedge Garden for a late afternoon ceremony.

The guests at an outdoor wedding ceremon are seated in rows in a green garden. Many are in Indian dress.

The ceremony itself had elements both from the bride’s tradition and from the groom’s.  A Catholic deacon welcomed the guests and performed the first part of the ceremony.  Following that, a Hindu priest performed an abbreviated (very abbreviated!) Hindu marriage ceremony.

Bride and groom are seated for part of a Hindu marriage ceremony. A Hindu priest stands to their left.

A bride places a flower garland around the neck of her groom.

And then, it was time for a party.  And, I have to say, the people at the Morton Arboretum really know how to throw a swanky celebration!  The room has a gorgeous view of a pond, but it was made even more beautiful by the artistic talents of Persephone Floral.

A row of round banquet tables with white linen, navy blue napkins, and floral centerpieces. Outside the windows in the background are a pond and trees.

A long table with a white linen and navy blue napkins, deecorated with a long garland of greenery and pillar candles.

A rounded floral centerpiece in a pedestal bowl, comprised of greenery, white and pale pink blossoms, and blue thistle flowers.

I have absolutely no idea what was so funny during the cake cutting, but you know what they say about a couple who laugh together.

A couple standing near a wedding cake and laughing helplessly.

The groom’s sister gave a pretty funny toast, too.

A woman in a blue sari dress stands, holding a microphone and a piece of paper. In front of her sit a man and another woman in a sari dress.

A man and a woman sit at a table laughing, with their faces in their hands.

Or maybe that last one was during the toast given by the bride’s father.

Finally, it was time to dance!  The David Rothstein Band kept the dance floor hopping all evening long.

A dance band of singers, saxophone, keys, drums, and other instruments.

It was a beautiful wedding day, one where everything ran smoothly and the guests enjoyed themselves.  And another lovely couple started their married life surrounded by friends and family, beauty and fun.

A lighted building in the dusk, seen across a pond, with reflections on the water.

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