Monica & Vikrant

Real Weddings

Monica & Vikrant

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When Monica Khurana and Vikrant Duggal began planning their wedding, they were determined to create a joyful and colorful celebration of their shared Indian heritage. So on July 4, 2009, the couple treated 200 guests to a traditional Hindu-Punjabi wedding that brought exciting and decidedly unexpected elements to the heart of Bellevue.

The daylong festivities began for guests with the baraat, a traditional and elaborate marriage procession. Friends and family danced outdoors as Vikrant dramatically rode a white steed around the block before arriving outside the Westin Bellevue Hotel to greet his bride’s family and receive their blessings as part of the milni ceremony. There, Monica’s mother placed vermillion powder on Vikrant’s forehead and acknowledged the four different directions of the Earth, symbolizing that Vikrant was welcomed from every direction, before Vikrant was escorted to the bridal altar for the ceremony.

“You need a large space to accommodate the Hindu traditions, such as the horse,” Monica laughs. “The big hotels are the best choice, and the Westin was really helpful since they’ve hosted other Indian weddings.”

Indoors, the ballroom was heavily draped in ivory dupioni silk, providing an elegant backdrop to showcase the couple’s vibrant bridal attire. Monica’s traditional red and gold embroidered sari was accessorized with ivory and red chooras (wedding bangles), while elaborate mehndi (henna body art) covered her hands and feet. Vikrant’s traditional achkan, also custom-made in India, complemented the ceremonial colors.

The 90-minute ceremony was performed in Sanskrit and included classic Indian music. The reception kicked off with the newlyweds’ first dance, to Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life,” before guests were treated to an extensive Punjabi buffet, including vegetable, meat and rice dishes, naan and papad breads and gulab jamun—sweet fried dough—alongside a four-tiered Western-style chocolate wedding cake. “There was a lot of food!” Monica says. “With the Indian culture, everyone leaves full and happy!”

More than 700 white votive candles graced the dining tables along with 3-foot-tall floral arrangements of orchids and roses and an elevated bowl of floating orchids and candles. Each table was themed as an “ingredient”—such as friendship, passion or respect—to ensure a successful marriage. “The vows we took at the ceremony were very meaningful to us,” Monica explains, “and we wanted to have that sincerely represented at the reception, too.”

At one point, a slide show recapped the couple’s love story, underscoring the ingredient that most serves as the glue to their relationship: “We just love being together,” Monica says. 

Body art: by Magical Mehendi | Bridal gown: Sari from Bombay Trendz in Toronto, Canada | Cake: display cakde by The Last Bite; chocolate sheet cake by Starry Nights | Catering: Punjabi buffet by Mayuri Indian Cuisine in Bellevue | Décor: Silk draping, uplighting, centerpieces, mandap décor and lounge items by Capri Floral & Event Design | Flowers: Capri Floral & Event Design | Jewelry: India | Music: Baraat musicians from Veera Productions. Ceremony musicians from Kali Productions. Reception music from DJ Kazan | Officiant: Pundit Mahesh Shashtri | Photo booth: Photobooth Vancouver | Videographer: Digital Circle Creative Group | Day-of-wedding Planner: Janel Schlitt of Occasions, LLC

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