Scenes From An Indian-American Marriage

    I know I declared last week's post "Back To The Camino" to be my last "Ailantha" blog until I return from the Camino in November, to be replaced in the interim by "...And Lighten Your Pack" (you can check it out already at www.andlightenyourpack.com).  But this past weekend I attended a beautiful wedding, the memory of which I didn't want to let slip away.
    

    Anyway,  Tom and I ditched our final pre-Camino Saturday Clear Creek training session ( see "...And Lighten Your Pack" post from 8/25/2015) to drive to Chicago for the wedding of Jon and Asha,

    ... son and, now, daughter-in-law of my college-buddy and perennially dear friend Linda.

    We arrived Friday evening at the Hotel Hilton Orrington in Evanston,

...where, after checking in and settling into our room, we headed to banquet room on the 9th floor where the rehearsal dinner was held,

    ...and where the tables were decorated with beautiful jeweled motifs:

    As Asha and her family are of Indian descent, incorporated into the rehearsal dinner was a traditional Hindu engagement ceremony.
    As soon as we entered the hall we were invited to dig into the delicious hors d’oeuvres, Vegetable Samosa and Vegetable Pakora._

    After all the guests had arrived, many of the women dressed in traditional saris and the men in  dhotis,  Jon and Asha were led to the seats of honor. Then began the  engagement ceremony during which the mothers, sisters, and aunties sprinkled the betrothed with scented water, showered them with rose petals, and laid at their feet traditional gifts of fruit, jewels, sweets and coconuts for fertility.

    The groom-to-be-was asked questions by the brothers of the bride to determine his suitability as a husband for their sister. 

           Happily, both brothers greatly approved.

    After the ceremony a buffet of delicious Indian food was served,

    ...followed by a heavenly dessert of tapioca pudding with pistachios and strips of coconut and a pastry that resembled doughnut holes swimming in a honey syrup.
    It was an awesome rehearsal dinner.
    The following day  the guests were transported from the hotel by shuttle to beautiful old Covenant Presbyterian Church, a former Catholic Church built circa 1920 in Bucktown, Chicago.  

                   It was an inspiring  ceremony during which the pastor reminded Asha, radiant and lovely in her traditional white bridal gown and veil, and Jon, handsome in a dove grey suit,  to always clothe themselves in compassion and kindness.  “Every morning when you wake up,”  he added,  “remember that you are your first project.”  Good words of wisdom not only for a newly married couple but for everyone.
   After the wedding we returned to the ballroom of the Hilton Orrington  for the reception,

    ... an evening of joyful celebration,

    ...wonderful food,

    ... and reconnecting with dear old friends.

        May we all always enjoy the memory of this beautiful night,

...and may Jon and Asha live happily ever after!

PS...If anyone's interested, you can follow my new blog, "...And Lighten Your Pack"  at www.andlightenyourpack.com.  This blog  will chronicle Tom's and my hike across Spain along  the Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  "Ailantha" will continue in November when we return from the Camino. God willing. 8)