Nisha & Sonu - Boo-lywood Wedding in Calgary

Nisha and Sonu got married last week, on Halloween day.
I had to go to Calgary to see this: at The Westin they have TV screens incorporated in the bathroom mirror:
Make-up artist Panit Brar in action:
Sonu is getting on the horse for the Baraat ceremony in front of the BMO Centre:
Although, he looks like he's going somewhere else:
His family came all the way from New York with a very specific goal in mind. To party:
This could have been historic (just like another moment in history), but the horse has different plans:
And Sonu has to walk in, where a cousin wants to make sure he's the right person for the job:
The party doesn't cool off at all:
In the same spirit, the Milni ritual gets quite extreme:
It would make an awesome Olympic event next year, in London:
The Palomino Hall is ready for the ceremony:
Nisha is brought in by her sister and brother:
The Vedic wedding ceremony is performed in Sanskrit by a Pandit. Usually, the Pandit is Hari Shankar Dabral:
Granthi-Bandhan is when the couple is bound together by Ritu - Nisha's sister - with a piece of cloth to symbolize their inseparability:
The four pillars of the Mandap are said to represent the four Vedas - the ancient scriptures of the Hindu teachings - as well as the four goals of a fulfilled Hindu life:
Each pillar also represents the role that the couple's parents have played in bringing up their children, providing ongoing love, support, strength and guidance.
Shila-Rohan - Climbing the Rock:
Pandit is blessing the newly weds with rose petal showers:
On the way to her palanquin Nisha is saying goodbye to her family, wishing them prosperity:
No wonder every girl wants to be a Bollywood bride:
Miraculously for this time of the year, it's warm enough outside so we can take some pictures:
Who says you need a wedding party? You can always find a random one on the streets. Dressed for the occasion, too:
Almost every corner has something interesting for the camera in downtown Calgary:
We got back to the hotel to change. Somehow Sonu is ready faster than his new wife:
And he has a glimpse of how it's all going to be from here on:
But it's worth the wait:
We return to the Calgary Stampede and the lobby is filled with works of art. A collage made with our engagement session photos:
A 24x36 canvas presented exquisitely by Ioana:
The signature mat is pretty popular:
The Palomino Room is completely transformed:
All because Fusion Bollywood. These must be the fanciest center pieces I've seen so far:

Nisha and Sonu's friends prepared a sync dance for their entrance:

It's epic:
First stop - cake cutting:
Apparently, Nisha has some issues with her contacts during her father's speech:

Dance performances are always a highlight of the reception:
Specially the Punjabi ones:
I can't wait to see the video from A Love Story:
The newly weds take it down a notch:
But not for long:
We even have the Jaago dance! What a pleasant surprise for my last East-Indian wedding of the year:
Sonu is a rockstar! Or - at least - he thinks he is:
Thank you so much Nisha and Sonu for the best Halloween we had in a long time! Cheers!

love.more.cosmin