The Ceremony

The ceremony in the G.A.R. Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center began with three little girls walking down the aisle as flag bearers. Each carried a flag -- for the U.S., India, and the Philippines -- and wore a traditional dress for that nation. “Our cultural heritage is very important to us, and we wanted to showcase the joining of the cultures in our American wedding. Because the Hindu events would showcase Indian culture, I wanted the Christian wedding to feature some traditional Filipino customs,” says Amber (who is Filipino). These included a veil and cord ceremony, and also a reading in Tagalog of a poem written by the bride’s uncle. Amber and Amit also included a reading of an Indian poem written by Amit’s great-great-grandfather, a former poet laureate of India. Friends of the couple read both poems aloud in English as well.