Wedding 2.0

Jun 30, 2023 | Portland, Wedding

Abhi and I had the first part of our wedding in Jaipur in Dec 2021 – mid Covid’s third peak in India and unexpected travel restrictions were placed. Since most of our friends couldn’t make it on a travel visa, I realized we’d need an event in Portland if our friends were gonna be part of this wedding. And since they’d been such a huge part of our relationship the past decade, the only event that’d do them justice would be another wedding. Abhi and I doing more vows with family and friends in America would also hold us accountable to the whole commitment thing lol I had one of our best friends, Nate be our minister. Fun fact- it was Nate’s first wedding and mine and Abhi’s second.

Shoutout to Abhi forreal because no man should have to live with a girl planning a wedding twice. Sure, it’d be cool if guys planned as well -but then it’d just jeopardize the whole aesthetic ya know?

Choosing the Venue

Starting the planning process was relatively easy since I knew exactly what aesthetic I wanted. It needed to be more casual, outdoor and incorporate the parts of an American wedding that Indian weddings often miss-the toasts, bridesmaids, groomsmen, father/daughter + mother/son dances etc.

Pulling from the PNW set of our love story, I wanted an outdoor venue with lush greenery. It comes with great lighting and cuts down on the need for an extravagant floral budget. Yeah, I’m boujee but with the fourth destination for this wedding world tour I’d taken Abhi on- I really wasn’t trying to make us broke.

My absolute favorite venues in Portland are Bridal Veil Lakes and Horning’s Hideout. The latter of which I picked between because it’s 15 min away from Bethany where we grew up. If you know me, I’m a hands-on girl with planning and I knew I’d want to make sure decor was up before I had my walk down the aisle so a short drive away was necessary.

They have 3 different venues – lakeside, creekside and the stage area. I loved Lakeside because it came with a sprawling lawn, a covered area and a lush setting for the altar.

Crafting a Meaningful Ceremony

The best part about having a bestie conduct a ceremony is them genuinely hyping you up. Idk maybe it’s just me-but I don’t need corny jokes from a minister that just met us saying that we’re gonna make it. Like he doesn’t know what Abhi has to put up with so how does he know the odds? I needed somebody who’s been on the ride and seen SJ at 3 am going off and Abhi still rooting for her. It just made the whole commitment thing feel more real 💛

Sanjana + Abhishek | A Horning's Hideout Wedding in North Plains

tbh this one was for my girls

Bridesmaids

Kasse Keudell
Theresa Hollabach
Rosa Keller
Kathleen Bozzo
Sheetal Krishnakumar
Meggie Kolsani
Reid Dehle

We worked with a talented team of vendors to create a menu that included the classic Indian hits- Butter Chicken, Rice, Naan and Gulab Jamun. We had vanilla cake for our wedding but a dessert table wasn’t gonna last in the woods in peak Summer. Abhi’s dad loves ice cream and since I wanted to be his favorite, I got the whole truck. As the newest member of the family that day, I think I won.

Sanjana + Abhishek | A Horning's Hideout Wedding in North Plains/Portland, Oregon

Hands down the hardest vendor to pick was our DJ. In an Indian wedding, they handle a lot more than the reception playlist- they play videos, guide the crowd through events and handle all the chaotic transitions between everybody’s dance performances.

We needed a DJ who played a mix of Indian and American music- and now with all the viral bollywood tiktok hits, everybody knows a good mix when they hear one. Abhi and I are so picky with music and the energy a DJ brings really effects the vibe- so I had to dive deep into insta research.

My absolute bare min asks were
1. Not dropping their name during the music sets (think DJ Khaled-without the fame)
2. Plays live and can mix the music we like together – I need the focus on the music; not somebody leading bhangra on the dance floor

If you know Portland, Oregon -there’s already a scarcity of people in the Indian music industry and with my standards, this search had me feeling like I was asking for a lot. But lowering my standards isn’t something I do -like ever. I spent hours in my DMs talking to DJs in Canada or on the east coast but they’d been booked out for months.

3 weeks before the wedding date, I actually got a lead from a trusted Aunty (the kind who won’t lead you astray) who’d attended a wedding the year before with DJ Anoop. I instantly got on a call with him, sent him the playlist we’d been building and within a week he’d sent back a mix. Abhi and I threw down that deposit so quick. I seriously cannot recommend him enough – he’s solid, comes with his own setup and matches the energy you want.

We kicked off the night with our first dance as husband and wife- surrounded by so many loved ones. As the night progressed, the dance floor was filled and it was a perfect reminder for Abhi and I to reflect on how loved we felt :’)

Real talk: If they’re vendors listed on my page here, they’re ones that I’d definitely use again. Do keep in mind though that I was very hands on- sending specific inspo pics, providing rentals, sourcing my own linens etc – so if you’re looking to be hands off and providing minimal guidance, these vendors might quote a different package. They were my absolute dream team so I’d I’d recommend them again in a heartbeat.