One Couple’s Lavish and Luscious Indian Wedding at McGovern Centennial Gardens in Houston, Texas
“Gurprit and I met in the most millennial way: a dating app,” laughs bride Sheena Kohli, speaking about her relationship with Gurprit Singh. “We did long distance (Texas and California) for two years, and I give full credit to him for making it feel like we were closer.” When it came time for Gurprit to propose, he elected to do so in one of the couple’s favorite places. “We both share a love for mountains, and Vail is just the most stunning place I’ve been to in the US,” Sheena explains. “He proposed in the most thoughtful and unique way and surprised me by bringing all my family and closest friends to Vail. It’s still my most precious day; I would put it right up there with the wedding week!”
Leading up to the big day, both bride and groom had planned to visit India to gather fashion and favors for each event of their wedding. Unfortunately, Covid-19 kept the couple in the United States—however, they were able to do some virtual shopping via FaceTime. To account for the multi-day extravaganza, Sheena and Gurprit chose various outfits—but their favorites were the clothes they chose for their ceremony. “Gurprit wore a stunning ivory sherwani by Diwan Saheb in Delhi and paired it with a light pink turban and a matching shawl and pearls necklace to complete a royal, handsome groom look,” the bride beams. “For the bridal look, I always knew I wanted to wear pink—[the traditional] red was just never in the vision. So I chose a beautiful (and heavy) pink lengha with a double dupatta (one over my shoulder and a veil over my head), and I paired it with classic Polki jewelry.”
Each weekend event was perfectly curated to reflect the bride and groom’s styles and talents. “For the Dholki (a women-only event before the ceremony), we created a 'Sheena Bazaar,' a nod to a popular shopping location in Delhi called Meena Bazaar, with favors for our guests like Banarasi shawls, beautiful handmade potlis (purses) from India and Kaleere bracelets.” In addition, the bride put her own stamp on the wedding through her talent for graphic design by creating the menus, signage, programs and custom stationery: different for each event.
All the lively festivities led up to the wedding day. Decor-wise, “we’d thought about how we wanted to feel on that day and what kind of a vibe we wanted to be surrounded by: the words 'serene,' 'greenery' and 'romantic' really stood out to us,” Sheena says. The lush mandap (or altar space) was the focal point of the ceremony, sporting striking blossoms in blush and ivory hues spilling forth. In a twist on the tradition, the bride walked down the aisle with the closest ladies in her life. “I entered the ceremony under a floral canopy held by extremely close best friends that are like sisters to me,” recalls Sheena. “Traditionally, it’s something the bride’s brothers or the men in the family do, but I thought it would be meaningful and empowering to have my sisters bring me in. Every girl knows: you truly belong to your best friends and sisters.”
Post-vows, attendees were ushered inside and into a luxurious reception space. Sticking to a “romance under the night sky” theme, the newlywed’s vendor team created an outdoor aesthetic inside the ballroom. “We wanted our guests to be in awe as they stepped into the room, almost forgetting where they were,” Sheena notes. “The room had a 'galactic' feel; it was filled with twinkling lights as the backdrop, a Milky Way dance floor, a vintage bar right in the center, and stunning florals, candles and chandeliers all over the room. The color palette for this day was a deep royal blue with pops of pink and tons of greenery. Words are simply not enough. It was breathtaking.”
In reflection (though every event held special significance), the couple’s favorite moment was immediately evident. “The most anticipated moment had to be walking into the wedding venue and seeing each other for the first time. We didn’t do a first look on purpose; we wanted to truly be present in that moment right before we got married and authentically capture our emotions. I remember walking in and sitting next to Gurprit, and when I turned to him, he was in tears and could barely speak. He said, “You look beautiful.” It was so special and a feeling that is hard to put into words.”