Silpa didn’t expect to meet the love of her life when she spent a summer in New Haven for a research internship between semesters of medical school, but when she met Gage, the chemistry was instant. After spending nearly every day together, Silpa returned to school, and what started as a summer fling turned into a long-distance relationship with many visits between the two. When the pandemic hit, Gage started working remotely and took it as a sign to move to Illinois to be with Silpa. Two years later, while she was in medical school and he was in law school, Gage carved out a rare day they had off together to propose. He took her to a restaurant in Chicago, and when the first course came out, Silpa was shocked when the waiter removed the lid to reveal a golden goblet with an engagement ring inside it. Wanting to honor Silpa’s Indian heritage, the couple hosted a proper two-day Hindu celebration at the Chicago Cultural Center planned with the help of LOLA Event Productions and captured by Loren Wedding.
Kicking off the two-day celebration
The two-day Hindu celebration started with a Haldi event on Friday evening. The next morning, the couple’s wedding day kicked off with a festive Baraat as Gage was ushered down the street in a yellow Porsche coupe with family and friends dancing around him.
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Palette: magenta, blush, gold & white
When they arrived at the Chicago Cultural Center, Silpa and Gage tied the knot in a traditional Hindu ceremony under a lush floral mandap by Life in Bloom that stood beneath the world’s largest Tiffany-glass dome. The pair wore matching cream-colored attire, her in a custom lehenga and him in a sleek sherwani.
Detail we love: DIY topiary elephant
Red, magenta, blush, gold, and white blooms filled the space with color, but the real star of the show (other than the newlyweds!) was Michelle the Elephant, who was named after their planner. Handcrafted by Silpa’s mother, Michelle was a large moss elephant adorned with flowers and beads that greeted everyone who arrived at the venue.
Automatic invite: the family dog
The newlyweds made sure that their adorable dog made a guest appearance for portraits.
Vibrant, multicolor reception design
For the reception, the ceremony space was transformed with long banquet tables dressed in vibrant flowers, multi-colored taper candles, and soft green linens.
Two ways to repurpose the mandap
The mandap was split into two — one part set behind the sweetheart table and the other drawing attention to Michelle, who watched from the side.
Outfit changes: from dinner to dancing
Silpa put on an embroidered red lehenga while Gage donned his favorite Hugo Boss suit for portraits and speeches. For dinner and dancing, Silpa changed one last time into an electric blue gown.
Father-daughter Bollywood dance
The rest of the evening was filled with energy as the newlyweds and their loved ones celebrated and performed dances — including a choreographed Bollywood dance Silpa did with her father, who took dance lessons for that special moment!
