It was as if the stars aligned in perfect harmony and the universe showered its most colorful blessings upon the happy couple when Nakita and Shivam decided to get married at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles captured by Shan Photography.
The two love birds dreamed of a matrimonial union that encompassed the best of the traditional Indian world, and the contemporary ideas that they developed over the course of their life in LA. And as luck would favor, they got the best wedding partners to make their dream come true; Skirball.
Being one of the most thoughtful Indian wedding planners in Los Angeles, the Skirball team discussed the ceremonies and events with the couple at great length and designed the most beautiful Indian wedding LA has witnessed; one filled with tons of cultural intricacies, priceless emotional exchanges, love, laughter and family fun.
Haldi – The Start to a Grand 3-Day Wedding Celebration
Captured beautifully by Shan Photography, the first event on the wedding itinerary was the vibrant and joyful Haldi ceremony. Rooted in Indian tradition, this ritual—also known as haldi rasam, tel-baan, or manjha—is believed to ward off evil spirits and bless the couple with prosperity and protection.
During this lively pre-wedding celebration, friends and family gather to apply a paste of turmeric (haldi), milk, and oil to the bride and groom. The atmosphere is filled with laughter, music, and dancing as loved ones come together in celebration. The rich yellow hue of the haldi symbolizes auspiciousness and is thought to bring good fortune to the couple as they prepare to embark on their new journey together.
Nakita and Shivam looked psyched and stunning at their first wedding event. Clad in a white traditional Indian outfit and adorned with yellow and white flowers, Nakita had the best time celebrating with her friends and family, more specifically, her beloved girl gang, who were all dressed symbolically in yellow. The ceremonial venue was designed to perfection using yellow and white flowers, green leaves, and wooden decorative pieces.
Satak – ringing in blessings the Gujarati way
Captured through the lens of Shan Photography, next on the list of the Gujarati couple’s wedding events was “Satak” – a highly traditional prayer ritual conducted as part of Gujarati weddings seeking the blessings of the nine worlds. Per ritualistic belief, the ceremony is meant to invite Lord Ganesha over in their presence and remove any obstacles that may arise hindering the union of the bride and the groom.
Nakita and Shivam chose to have their Satak ceremony at the City of Lynwood – City Hall in LA. Needless to say, it was nothing short of gorgeous. The rituals were divine, beautifully moving, and aesthetically well-designed – all thanks to their reliable Indian wedding planner in Los Angeles – Skirball. They surely got the green light from the nine worlds.
The Wedding – All the Feels
The big day – the holy moment when Nakita and Shivam tied the knot couldn’t have come soon enough. They chose to have their most important ceremony at the Skirball Cultural Center in Sepulveda Blvd, LA – a picturesquely perfect venue nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains. It boasts a whopping fifteen acres of green space along with intricately detailed architectural marvels; the aesthetics accurately set the stage for a traditional Gujarati wedding.
The festivities on the big day, as typical of Gujarati weddings, started with the Agaman ceremony where the groom and his folks arrived at the mandap or main venue through a high-energy processional walk. On arrival, Shivam was received by his bride’s family, more specifically his bride’s mother, who welcomed him with sweets and “aarti”. It is also customary to playfully pull the groom’s nose as a reminder for him to stay humble, as he has arrived to ask for her daughter’s hand in marriage. The fun and playful tradition lightened everyone’s mood and set the tone for the rest of the celebrations.
The bride Nakita, arrived looking breathtaking in a stunning red lehenga-choli – she certainly must have swept Shivam off his feet. Then it was time for the Jaimala ceremony where the bride and the groom exchanged floral garlands, in tune with a few songs in the background.
More cultural and religious rituals followed, including the “Madhuparka”, “Antarpaat”, “Kanyadaan”, “Hasta Milap”, “Mangal Pheras” and “Saptapadi”. Each of these rituals holds rich meaning and significance as per Hindu culture and mythology. They are done in preparation for the grand union of the bride and the groom, and they involve sacred aspects like the giving away of the bride by her father, family members blessing the couple, and 7 divine vows that the couple gives each other.
Every moment was beautifully documented by Shan Photography, an award-winning Indian wedding photographer in Los Angeles known for capturing culture, emotion, and elegance with timeless precision.
The Final Leg of the Wedding Day Rituals
The final three steps of an Indian Gujarati wedding involve the proverbial “tying of the knot”. Nakita and Shivam were more than overwhelmed with joy and many other unexplainable emotions at this point as they were seconds away from being legally wed.
First, Shivam placed a pinch of vermillion (sindoor) on the middle part of the bride’s hairline symbolizing the change in her marital status. Then Shivam tied the sacred “mangalsutra” around Nakita’s neck which indicated their union. Lastly, the two newlyweds fed sweets to each other, marking the end of the main ceremonial rituals.
The entire wedding took place in a beautifully decorated mandap at the Skirball Cultural Center. The white and green floral decorations further enhanced the already picture-perfect aesthetics of the venue. Leading to the mandap was a breathtaking entryway adorned with white flowers – a magical carpet for the bride and the groom to enter the mandap.
Thanks to the efficient Indian wedding planner in Los Angeles they chose, Nakita and Shivam were able to bring their wedding vision to life flawlessly.
As their chosen wedding photographer, we at Shan Photography had the privilege of capturing these heartfelt moments.
Post-Wedding Celebrations – The Grand Reception
The ecstatic couple couldn’t wait to meet their friends and party hard, as a legally married duo. Their reception was held at the Skirball Cultural Center and was every bit as grand and fun as one can imagine. Nakita chose a black lehenga set for the event while Shivam matched the vibe with a crisp white shirt, pants, and suspenders.
The two of them had their first dance, their first celebratory champagne pop and clink, and hours of jamming to Bollywood hits. Their friends and family partied with the newlyweds, cheering them on and joining in with their happiness.
There could not have been a more perfect end to a happy Indian wedding. As the couple finally said their goodbyes to their guests and drove off to their own new world, it was another feather to add to their hat for Skirball, for having given another happy couple the wedding of their dreams.
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