Cactus

{Badlands Park, Laguna Niguel, CA}

Friday Night Wedding

Not just a typical Friday evening. As the 4:00 sun beat down hot and bright, hundreds of family and friends sat and watched Bryan and Risha's traditional Indian wedding ceremony. Taking place in the beautiful gardens outside the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, we were surrounded by gorgeous saris of all colors, jewels, henna tattoos, and rose petals. Conducted primarily in Sanskrit, the hour-long ceremony was formed of traditional Indian wedding rituals all symbolizing something different. Risha's beauty was breathtaking, and the experience of the wedding was unlike anything else.

The ceremony was followed by a cocktail hour with drinks & appetizers, and the reception took place in a ballroom inside the library. Risha changed from her sari into a white wedding dress, and the bridesmaids from their turquoise saris to seafoam green dresses. Speeches, a slideshow of the couple, first dances, and entertainment from the bridal party as seen below, filled the reception. The dinner was a wide variety of different Indian food, and by far the best I have ever eaten. A celebration it was indeed, with hours of dancing and wonderful time spent with friends!

So the videos...the entire wedding party had to learn that dance from Slumdog Millionaire to the Jai Ho song. They were responsible for learning it on their own and only practiced once together. I think they did a fantastic job!! Brent is second guy from right toward the back.

And on to video #2. Brent was pretty stressed about learning the choreography and claims to have no dance skills. However, as soon as he is given free reign to dance how he pleases and throw a drink or two into the mix, and he becomes the life of the party. He pretty much had the spotlight all night, with everyone circled around him to watch him do his thing... the dance I like to call "the spaz out." I was very proud! (You can tell how early or late it was in the night...he starts off with his jacket, then no jacket, then tie loosened...)