Real Wedding: Anamika & Patrick
Anamika Chaudhuri and Patrick Reed dated for nine years without discussing marriage. So on Valentine's Day 2009 when Anamika's father asked when they planned on getting married, it came as a shock to everyone that they both responded simultaneously, expressing that a fall wedding in Martha's Vineyard would be beautiful. "This was just another sign that we were meant to be together," Anamika believes.
Anamika met Patrick when he bumped into her at a bar-literally. Patrick felt bad about running into Anamika, and insisted on buying her a drink. That night they talked for hours, and knew they had to see each other again. Soon, they were inseparable. Their friends joked about not seeing them after they met, because they wanted to spend all of their time together.
During the nine years that they dated, Anamika and Patrick traveled the world together, visiting places like Sri Lanka, Paris, and Calcutta. Patrick supported Anamika through medical school, and she supported him through graduate school. They spent time getting to know each other's families and cultural traditions, and eventually bought a house. These experiences together were things they wanted to share in the details of their wedding.
They wanted to incorporate as many traditions as possible, starting with the festive atmosphere typical of Indian weddings. They chose to incorporate bold colors into their décor rather than pastels, and especially focused on bright oranges and hot pinks. They ordered invitations from India, adorned with a printed gold paisley design, which was re-created on their cake. They rented two tents that were adjoined with a covered walkway. The inside of each tent was decorated with bright linens, and complemented by matching flowers-orange tulips and bright pink hydrangeas-and colored cocktails.
Anamika's arms and legs were decorated with mendhi, or henna designs, the day before their wedding, according to an Indian custom. It is traditional for the mendhi artist to incorporate the groom's name into the intricate design for him to search for. It took Patrick all day to find his name! The designs are long-lasting, and remained on Anamika's arms and legs for a month, constantly reminding her and Patrick of what they consider to be "truly the best day of our lives."
Anamika walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of Elvis' "Can't Help Falling," one of her grandmother's favorite songs. During the ceremony, she and Patrick exchanged garlands as part a Hindu tradition called Jaimala. The exchange symbolizes a couple's adoration and acceptance of each other.
To offer their guests some further insight to their relationship, Anamika and Patrick offered half dollar coins wrapped in Indian coin purses. As a couple, they have found that it is often easiest to resolve simple disputes by "flipping the coin." They typically use Patrick's own lucky half-dollar coin, which he has had since childhood.
Their festive environment was supported by the fact that all of their guests had the opportunity to meet each other the night before the wedding at what Anamika and Patrick called their "Farewell to Freedom Fiesta." They ate Mexican food at a local restaurant and shared margaritas. Having the guests meet in advance, Anamika says, "allowed guests that had never met to mingle and act like old friends when the wedding day arrived."
By combining cultural customs with personal traditions, Anamika and Patrick were able to create a personal environment and a unique wedding experience for their guests. But the evening was also full of reminders of Anamika and Patrick's love for each other. The last song played of the night was, appropriately, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," the last song that played in the pub the night they met. Afterward, guests remained on the dance floor and chanted "one more song!" indicating to Anamika and Patrick, that their wedding celebration was a success.