We are home and still recovering from this past weekend of dancing, singing, and joyful celebrations!

Indian weddings are a LOT. Just when one event is over, you need to hurry back and get ready for the next one. Throw some babies in the mix and, well, to say we are all tired is a complete understatement.

I jokingly texted the family Whatsapp thread that I don’t know how the bride and groom (and Masi and Uncle and Bhanu) are still standing up right now after all they’ve done for this wedding weekend.

There’s no way I can share the hundreds of photos and videos I’ve got on my camera roll. But we’ll do a few highlights!

Haldi Ceremony

“Ishu painted Mamu!” Arjun was such a good sport as BUCKETS OF HALDI paste were poured onto him. This is always a fun event to attend. 1) It’s generally early in the AM so nobody cares if you show up in your sweatpants. 2) It’s still early in the wedding event sequence so there is all that bubbling excitement and anticipation for what’s to come. 3) It gave Juna’s side a chance to be with one another before the two sides merge. (Though, we had a Welcome Party that was for groom’s side on Thursday, so that was an added bonus).

And 4) On this particular day, my two favorite humans got some quality time together. Ishu taught his Badi Nani how to do Spiderman. He stopped moving his body long enough to sit on her lap for nearly 10 minutes. So, my heart was freaking full before the wedding even got started.

Clandestine Dance Practices

The schedule was jam-packed and everyone’s kids were on different nap schedules, but we managed to get a few dance practices in at random spots throughout the hotel. The balcony. The bridal hair and make-up room. All squished into a hotel room.

Prior to the wedding weekend and these in-person sessions, the family got together on Zoom. And, though I was resistant to doing the dancing part, I was always real happy to see my family in little boxes on the screen.

I’m pretty sure we need to continue doing dance practice even though there’s no dance to be practiced. Just so we can see each other.

There’s something so fun about screaming, “GO LEFT” when we’ve been practicing going right. And then ending the dance in fits and giggles because half of us went right.

Sangeet

Okay, the most colorful of the events in more ways than one.

The performances were out of this freaking world. I’m pretty sure that this is the best lineup of performances I’ve seen on a Sangeet night before.

The aunties and uncles did the cutest mash-up of the best songs ever. And I was chanting, “Should have been the finale!” because it was SO GOOD, SO GOOD.

We performed our “Just Cuz” dance. East Coast fam performed a dance. Bride’s side. Bride and mom. Bridesmaids. But the best? THE BEST was Bhanu and the groomsmen who did a Bhangra/Avengers medley thing. And it was hands down the coolest compilation and choreography ever. Shout-out to Bhanu and Nikhil who pulled together the most exciting dance for all of us to witness. Thor’s hammer and all.

Wedding Morning

The wedding was bright and early on Saturday morning and we made our way over to Glen Cove Gurdwara which was tucked away in the most beautiful of spots.

This is where it gets a little crazy. Some of the kids started getting a little sick, Ishu didn’t have on his sarwala outfit (and then cried while sitting in Mamu’s lap), mom’s foot got run over by a car during the baraat and she had to go get an x-ray done, and it was hot and sticky and muggy.

But, somehow, despite the heat and humidity, Arjun and Sherene looked absolutely stunning as they completed the four pheras. It was a quiet way of tying the knot. Not a bold, “AND NOW THEY’RE HUSBAND AND WIFE!” It was quiet and subtle and perfect.

Reception

I’d first like to say that behind every cute freaking toddler is a really sweaty mom who has frizzy hair. It’s me. I’m the sweaty, frizzy mom.

Speeches were made, pictures were taken, and the dance party continued. Bhanu’s speech made the entire family cry. We’re not really sure when this little human of ours grew up into this eloquent, incredible, loving doctor. But, somehow, it makes sense that he’s the #1 on the “Coolest Cousins Chart.”

That’s about 1/500th of the pictures. But to summarize an event like this seems quite impossible.

So happy to have spent this past weekend with our big, fat, Indian family. And excited to adopt Sherene as our newest sister!

Now – brothers and sisters, we’ll have to recalibrate and figure out where Sherene lies on the “Coolest Cousins” scale. Sherene – stay tuned!

Ha.

LOVE YOU FAMILY. SO MUCH. It’s always the hardest (and most rushed) to say goodbye, but isn’t that the best? To Quote Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”