Deepi and Eeshan, Chicago, US
They danced their way into each other's hearts in college, and their wedding celebrations in the US was heady with foot-tapping beats and beautiful decor.
For Deepi and Eeshan the dance floor was the stage for their romantic real-life musical. United by their common love for bhangra, the young couple incorporated their passion into their wedding celebrations in a unique fusion way. Find out more as bride Deepi shares special memories of the celebrations…
How We Met
“We met at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where we both were part of their ‘bhangra’ (traditional Punjabi dance) team and were paired as partners for a dance. While we often spent most practice sessions joking and laughing, it wasn’t until nearly the end of the school year that something clicked between us. In the six years since we’ve both continued dancing on the Chicago bhangra team called Ministry of Bhangra.”
Proposal
“Eeshan tactfully left me with the impression that he would propose the following year. However, both of us love traveling and so for our trip to the UK, Eeshan planned an epic proposal in a breathtaking place called the Quiraing in Scotland. The odds were not in his favor at the beginning of the trip on that day – we lost our luggage, the weather conditions were crazy, and he had little access to the Internet to communicate with the photographer. However, everything came through beautifully! At the right moment, the photographer found us and even the rain cleared up.”
Wedding Venues
The Sikh ceremony was held at a gurdwara and the reception venue was the beautiful and contemporary Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center. The ballroom had very high ceilings with beautiful chandeliers and a dark blue modern carpet design that added a regal touch to the celebrations.
Wedding Functions
Sangeet
“The sangeet decor incorporated bursts of bright pink and orange hues in the backdrop. My outfit was colorful too, so our aim was to add a vibrant pop without too many colors clashing and we managed to achieve just that.”
Wedding
“An intimate Sikh ceremony was held at a gurudwara on the same day as the reception.”
Reception
“The reception theme was designed to replicate a romantic evening at a city park. We both love living in the city and we fell in love with Yanni’s street lamp decor. We incorporated that theme with a park bench and lots of greenery and neutral florals in light peach and ivory to set the scene. Our first dance was very important to us as it was our way of showcasing our love for each other through our shared passion for dance. We fused two wildly different forms, ballroom, and bhangra, into a single piece of performance art.”
Advice For Couples
“Couples should plan ahead and incorporate suggestions from family members and friends who have been married. Fortunately, Indian weddings have become so popular and prevalent in the US that many resources are easily available here. One challenge that couples marrying abroad face is keeping to a budget without compromising quality.”
Wedding Makers
Venue: Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center (Illinois, US)
Wedding Coordinator: JD Audio (Chicago, Illinois)
Decor: Yaani Design Studio (Wheeling, Illinois)
Bride’s Outfit: Jaamawar Minx
Makeup and Hairstyle: Omehabiba Khan for NAOME Makeup (Chicago, Illinois)
Groom’s Outfit: Surmesur
Entertainment: DJ Twinbeatz
Photography: Melissa Diep Photography
Videography: Delack Media Group
