Hollis and Vik planned a wedding that would emulate the type of marriage they desired to have – a celebration that honored and blended the best of their heritages. They were married in a 3 day Hindu and Jewish wedding ceremony. Hollis and Vik live in Atlanta, but decided to return to the bride’s hometown of Denver for the wedding. The wedding weekend started on Thursday, with the Mehndi henna party, continued on Friday with the Garba rehearsal dinner, and ended with the wedding and reception on Saturday.
Hollis and Vik’s wedding day began with the bride getting ready with her sisters and bridesmaids at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Denver. After hair and makeup, the bride slipped on her Anne Barge gown and shared a few sentimental moments with her parents. To create a softer look for the ceremony, the bride opted for a horsehair trimmed veil and overlay skirt custom made by Chaviano Couture. After the groom was ready, his family arrived at the hotel to perform the Pooja, to spiritually celebrate the start of the wedding day.
Following getting ready, the bridal party headed to the wedding venue, McNichols Civic Center where we arranged a first look for the bride and groom. After an emotional few moments together, the bride and groom were joined by the bridal party for photos in the park.
The bride and groom elected to sign the Ketubah in a private ceremony surrounded by immediate family and close friends. Shortly there after, guests began to arrive for the wedding ceremony.
To officially start the wedding ceremony, the groom rode a brightly decorated horse through downtown Denver with his family and friends for the Baraat parade. The dhol drummer provided music as guests danced their way to the wedding venue.
The ceremony structure, Chuppah for the Jewish religion, and Mandap for the Hindu religion, was softly draped in asymmetrical ivory sheer fabric. For the combined Jewish and Hindu ceremony, we were able to incorporate both religions working with a Priest and Rabbi. Guests were able to follow along with a detailed program that explained the significance of each ritual. This was a wonderful way of introducing both their families to the other’s religion in a way that showed how many similarities they shared, rather than differences. Family members took part in completing the ceremony rituals. After a Mazel tov and being showered in red rose petals, the couple was officially married!
Downtown Denver provided a breathtaking backdrop for portraits during cocktail hour near sunset.
The bride, a calligrapher, incorporated her personal touches throughout the wedding design. She hand lettered all the wedding stationery and as a special gift to guests, created stamps for each guest with their name in calligraphy. During cocktail hour, guests were able to use these stamps in the couple’s guest book.
For the reception design, Hollis selected a palette of ivory and gold with pops of red. We used a mix of round and estate tables and the industrial room glowed in candlelight. Sweet Pea Flowers did a beautiful job of creating styled tablescapes with interesting containers and unique blooms. Traditional flowers like tulips and garden roses were mixed with distinctive air plants, succulents, and dahlias for a striking affect. The wedding cake designed by Intricate Icings mimicked the lines of the bride’s wedding gown. To add an artistic touch, custom gold geometric installations were hung from the ceiling. We created a fun photo booth backdrop for guests using gold mylar H & V letters.
Before being introduced into the reception, Hollis removed her veil and skirt. Showing off the clean lines of her Anne Barge gown was perfect for her reception look. Hollis and Vik danced their first dance under the glow of an edison light installation, and then joined guests for a family style dinner. They danced the night away with their guests and then were sent off in a sparkler exit and left on a Denver pedi-cab.
Images by Harwell Photography
Hollis and Vik’s wedding was a true testament to how love can bring two very different families together. It was such an honor to be on this journey with them and witness their marriage.