For us, the excitement of Shovaen and Jaya’s wedding began months prior, when Rex got the call from Shovaen asking him to be a part of the ceremony. This would be our first traditional Indian wedding as well as our first weekend away without Nova. While super excited to have some adult time and join in on this event, I was extremely apprehensive about leaving her. 

Figuring out appropriate attire caused a tiny bit of anxiety for me. I didn’t want to hound Jaya with questions like “is this good?” or “will this work?” for every dress I liked - but also didn’t want to offend by showing up in the wrong color or style! Eventually, I was confident enough in my options that I was able to enjoy the process. It was so much fun getting to dress up in such beautiful gowns! I never get the opportunity to get dolled up - definitely not on this scale. 

Our experience in prepping for the wedding may have been a little different than most of the other guests in that Rex was participating in a dance. (WHAT?!) Rex …. center stage …. DANCING …. in front of a crowd of people?! Those of you who know him - know how much of a big deal this was. I was fortunate enough to have witnessed the rehearsal of the dance in the weeks leading up to the event (a big Thank You to Mausami for the video!). It’s too bad we didn’t get any footage of that! 

We were immediately blown away by the tradition and elegance of the wedding events. When we first arrived on Friday, we were welcomed into the Vidhi where we were pleasantly surprised to watch and contribute to Shovaen being painted with a golden yellow paste. (Shovaen, I do believe that it DID make you glow a little more the next day!) I’m sure we stood out like a sore thumb being the only two (until Daniel arrived) ghostly white caucasians in the room, which is most certainly why Mayuri Aunty and Monique felt compelled to approach and introduce themselves to us. They endured our many questions about the ceremony and those in attendance without complaint. Mayuri Aunty even offered to help me with my Saree before the Wedding the next day. Again… such amazingly kind people!

The Sangeet Friday evening really set the tone for the weekend. You guys certainly know how to keep the party going! It was the first of many amazing food opportunities; I will not limit the amount of times it is mentioned here. After the fantastic entrance made by the wedding party, Cillian and I prepared ourselves for the performance that was to come, finding a spot with a clear view of Rex and Daniel. The food (the shrimp tacos!) was unbelievable…and I’m sure you’ll hear that from most everyone! The lights, the clothes, the music….the dancing! We still have… and will always…the beautiful sticks from the Raas. 

Saturday morning was a little bit of sleeping in and then breakfast. Rex was gone most of the day doing stuff with Shovaen and the other guys: whiskey shots, gift exchange, etc. I spent that time resting up for another long evening before heading to Mayuri Aunty’s room to dress for the ceremony. I cannot say enough how welcoming she was and how at ease she made me/us feel. She was a life saver with that gown and even offered me a chanlo! It took her 10 minutes to do what would’ve taken me hours. 

Cillian and Michael met me in the lobby to join Rex and the others who had begun to line up for the Baraat. I hadn’t realized before then that we would actually get to participate! I couldn’t take enough pictures or enough video. It was sticky hot outside in the Texas sun and the humidity was not very kind to my hair - but oh the fun! I felt terrible for all of you guys in the long sleeves. Maybe the excitement of it all took away from the heat…?? :) You can see by the photos included that Daniel certainly had a great time! Haha! 

Everything involved with the Ceremony was beautiful and extremely sweet: the joining of families at the end of the Baraat, the blessings and prayers over the Bride and Groom, the flowers, the suits, the gowns. Rex was so honored to be a part of it all. From the keeping of Shovaen’s shoes, to all of the time with the guys, even down to the dancing. It was a ton of fun to see how much fun he was having! And let me say a huge THANK YOU for the finger foods at the start of the Ceremony; much needed and much appreciated. 

The Reception did not fall short of the charm and elegance of the preceding events. We had the pleasure of entertaining Sushrut’s baby girl (Layla? Please correct if incorrect) for a short while. Not to take away from the awe of the Wedding weekend - but what an adorable little girl! Again…I’ll mention the deliciousness of the food! You would think that after an entire weekend of nothing but Indian cuisine we would tire of it. However, we’ve probably had it more often at home since the Wedding than we did before! It always takes us back. In addition to the light up stick - that thing is indestructible. Nova STILL plays with it!

This entire weekend pushed my stamina to the max. Rex is used to being up past 9:30 every night. :P I managed to keep my eyes open into the late hours - and am certainly glad that I did! It’s not often that a person gets to dance next to Darth Vader. 

Looking back at my photos and videos, the colors and excitement make it all look a bit unreal; it’s like something out of a magazine. The involvement and support of family and friends was overwhelming even for an outsider. Shovaen and Jaya being surrounded by so much love from so many generations was an incredible thing to see. I’ve never experienced anything like it and telling the stories once home brings tears to my eyes even now. It was an unforgettable experience and we are so grateful that you allowed us to be a part of it. Best wishes and much love to the happy couple. Happy Anniversary!

Tiff and Rex