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Archna & Ryan: A Cultural Wedding in Dublin, OH

Archna Goel and Ryan Calfee incorporated both American and Indian customs for their all-day (and night!) wedding outside Columbus. THE BRIDE Archna G

Archna Goel and Ryan Calfee incorporated both American and Indian customs for their all-day (and night!) wedding outside Columbus. THE BRIDE Archna Goel, 26, pediatrician THE GROOM Ryan Calfee, 26, orthopedic surgeon THE DATE May 27 We envisioned a wedding that would expose our friends and family to our different cultures, says Archna, who is of Indian descent. So as she and Ryan started planning, they knew that the occasion would encompass a variety of traditions and customs. Taking fourteen months to sort out, the festivities eventually unfolded over a Memorial Day weekend, with guests traveling to Columbus, Ohio (where Archna grew up), from such far-flung destinations as Delhi, India and Spokane, WA. The wedding took place on a Sunday, spanning from morning until way past midnight, with two religious ceremonies and two fabulous receptions -- a heady celebration indeed.

The Guests
Afterward, it was off to Embassy Suites Hotel to enjoy a buffet luncheon in the atrium. At 5 p.m., the crowd re-convened in the hotel's main ballroom for the Hindu ceremony. This time, Archna was adorned in a traditional Indian bridal gown, a handmade scarlet satin garment with elaborate gold embroidery. Her hands and feet displayed intricately patterned Henna designs.
The Cake
The wedding began with a Catholic ceremony -- complete with Old and New Testament readings and time-honored music such as Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary -- in the Palm House of the Franklin Park Conservatory, a lush, tropical space with glass ceilings. Clad in Western wedding attire (Archna in sleeveless white satin, Ryan in a classic tuxedo), the bride and groom said traditional vows after a touching homily by Ryan's uncle.
Her bridesmaids traded their light blue satin dresses for silk Indian saris in dramatic shades of peacock blue, while Ryan sported an elegant beige sherwani.