About the Couple
Supreet and Aman met at the Bhangra team trials at the University of Illinois in fall 2006. Supreet was the team coordinator and was auditioning new members. They met while doing what they love most - dancing! After a few weeks they met again at the Bhangra-Garba night on campus. This was their second meeting, and they felt a special vibe. Eventually they teamed up as dance partners in the Bhangra team. What started as a series of casual hangouts, turned into a special relationship and rest as the cliché goes is history.

The Proposal
They dated for a year and a half and Aman was thinking of how and when to pop the question. Supreet's birthday was near and she unenthusiastically said she had no big plans for the birthday. Supreet's best friend Carrie appeared to be the perfect accomplice to hatch the plot. As per the plan, on the birthday, Carrie took her out to the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building in Chicago. Aman reached there in hiding and texted Carrie-she then told Supreet she had a surprise and asked for a blindfold. Supreet thought Carrie is going to surprise her with a birthday cake. As the blindfold was removed, she saw Aman standing there with flowers and a huge smile! Tears flowed down her cheeks as she least expected him to be in the city - he had told her he was outstation as he is attending a conference in Champaign. The bigger surprise came when he went down on one knee and popped the question. Supreet was so dumbfound that it took her a while to say 'Yes'!

Wedding Ceremony
Everyone wanted the celebrations to be in pucca Punjabi style: festive with lots of friends and family members with days and days of singing, dancing and eating. The celebrations started a week before the Wedding day. Aman's family came from Punjab, and their friends from all over the world to be part of the gala.

The day before the wedding, there was a traditional Indian engagement ceremony followed by the Mehendi and Sangeet-night- a colorful evening full of music and dance at the Bride's home.

The Wedding ceremony and reception were held at the same venue on July 18, 2009. Supreet and Aman had dreamt of having a destination wedding. But having met at the University of Illinois, they felt Champaign would be the best city! After considering many venues Supreet and Aman opted for I-Hotel, a new and beautiful venue with a modern look and contemporary design.

The wedding décor
Supreet and Aman spent several months planning the decoration, lighting, menu, music and other details. The décor consisted of a large circular mandap draped in soft cream cloth. Amber lighting added to the warm feeling. Large tropical arrangements of birds of paradise, anthurium, heliconias, white hydrangeas, gold ting and crystals were the highlight. Soothing semi-classical Indian music fused with contemporary beats set the serene yet upbeat mood for the ceremony.

Evening cocktails were held on an outdoor patio and commenced with a signature champagne cocktail designed by Supreet. In contrast to the traditional wedding décor, the reception décor had a more dramatic look with dark purple, gold, crystals, and tropical flowers. The lighting was dim with a touch of lavender. The tables were covered in a shimmering purple and teal cloth giving the room a very romantic feel. Gold and crystal tree arrangements were placed on the tables and a large tree arrangement was used for place cards. A customized logo with the couple's initials illuminated the dance floor.

Since Aman and Supreet met and bonded because of their passion for dancing, they wanted their First Dance to be very special. They started with a classical Tango, eventually opening into a passionate Bollywood dance mix.

The reception was made even more memorable thanks to their Videographers Mili & Sid Ghosh, showcasing their "You and Me" video - a music video shot throughout the summer in Chicago that showcased their love story.

The night included special performances and speeches - the bride's sister performed a solo routine, and the groom performed with his cappella team- Chai-Town. Towards the end, the entire crowd was singing the energetic Punjabi number along with the singers. Finally both Supreet and Aman performed with the team where they first met- I-Bhangra! The dance floor exploded with non-stop Bhangra while a group of DJs spun their magic!

Our most cherished and tense moments
Aman:
I reached the wedding venue on the horse surrounded by more than 100 friends and family who were dancing to the live beats of dhol. I enjoyed every moment of it and felt like a prince who had arrived to take his bride. When she came and sat next to me in front of the Granth Sahib a sudden gush of emotions filled me; I felt at peace, serene, satisfied and complete. The ensuing events were filled with explosive celebrations that went on past midnight.

Supreet:
Through the wedding week, our house was full of family from all over, lots of singing, dancing, and eating fun-foods. It was a great feeling having everyone there to celebrate such a big milestone with me. As the wedding day approached, I started feeling how lucky I am to have such a supportive and loving family. The feeling escalated during the Doli (bride's goodbye to family)-and it is my most cherished memory. My extended family had gathered to bid goodbye, my parents were crying with happiness and they were sad too! I felt so emotional and scared to bid them farewell. I looked into Aman's eyes and I knew he would make me happy always; I was crying but I couldn't help but smile through my tears."

Honeymoon
We wanted to spend a week at some exotic island where we could be by ourselves, play in the lagoons, swim with the fishes, and enjoy the natural beauty. Bora Bora was our obvious choice!

We would like to thank
Videographers: Mili & Sid Ghosh, Memories in Motion
Photograhpers: Bella Picture Company
DJ: DJ Elite Entertainment Co.
Decoration and lighting: Precision Sound and Lighting
Hall and Catering: iHotel, University of Illinois
Cake: 'Wedding Cakes by Rosie'
Photo Credits: MIli & Sid Ghosh, Memories in Motion