Adrienne and Gaurav, US
Gaurav and Adrienne’s cross-cultural wedding in California charmed with its rustic wooden mandap in a lush redwood forest.
Most Indian weddings are resplendent with vibrant colors, gorgeous decor, and ornate mandaps. However, Gaurav and Adrienne’s cross-cultural wedding had a lovely rustic vibe. This ‘Boho-Chic Indian Fusion’ essence was seen in the lush, forested venue and wooden mandap under the glorious redwoods of Aptos, California.
For this fun-loving couple, the few important details when it came to planning their wedding were being surrounded by nature, DIY elements and the incorporation of their respective cultures on their big day. The result was a wedding filled with bright colors, natural beauty and lots of love!
Wedding Functions
Beach Party
The wedding festivities started with the couple and their friends getting together on the beach to play games and celebrate. Adrienne’s friends were all given capes with a letter ‘A’ marked on them, while the Gaurav’s mates flaunted ones with the letter ‘G’ on it. This event served as a great ice-breaker for both sides of the families and set a happy tone for the wedding as well as officially launched the wedding celebrations.
Sangeet
For their sangeet, Adrienne wore a pretty bright yellow lehenga, while Gaurav opted for a sherwani and a dupatta of the same hue. The bride’s father and friends, who are musicians, lit up the evening with their foot-tapping music. Guests sand and danced to the tunes in the beautiful venue where the colorful decor was the highlight of the event. The most important guest of the evening, Rusty, their dog, was made to sit on the same swing as the to-be-weds.
Wedding
The day started as Adrienne got ready for the religious ceremony that was to be held in the backyard of her parent’s home. Gaurav arrived on a white horse to mark the beginning of the ceremony. He was surrounded by close family and friends who danced all the way till the venue. Built by Adrienne’s father and lovingly decorated by the duo’s mothers, the mandap held deep significance for both Gaurav and Adrienne. The duo exchanged their vows as per a Hindu ceremony under a beautiful redwood canopy, that was shadowed by a grove of tremendous redwoods. Beautiful orange drapes decorated the pillars of the mandap, while yellow and orange marigolds were suspended behind the couple to make a pretty backdrop.Adrienne wore an orange velvet lehenga that was paired with a bright pink blouse and a net dupatta, while Gaurav opted for a blue sherwani.
Reception
The final event was the reception for which Adrienne changed into a gorgeous white gown and Gaurav donned a black suit. The party was filled with lots of singing and dancing. The decor for the function may have been simple, however, the evening was rich in emotions.
The Wedding Makers
Wedding Planner: TanaRi
Photography: Third Element Photo Co
