I’m not exaggerating when I say that Asha and Vinay are two of the kindest, genuinely loving people you’ll ever meet. You could feel it in their joy of being with their loved ones during their Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham Grand.

A couple wearing traditional Indian wedding garb stands on a hilltop with a view of downtown Pittsburgh behind them before their Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

Puja and Mehndi

Asha and her family hosted the Puja and the Mehndi at the home of a close family friend in Monroeville.

An Indian bride wearing a red and yellow sari shakes hands with a laughing Hindu priest.

Asha greets the priest.

A woman wearing a sari applies a bindi to an Indian bride during a Puja.

The bride-to-be received blessings and well-wishes from family and friends.

Sangeet

Before the Sangeet Asha and Vinay we met Asha and Vinay up on Mt. Washington for some portraits. Soft spring sunlight and high clouds helped to make the photo session that much better. Aren’t their outfits wonderful? Their color choices were perfect for the occasion.

A couple wearing blue and gold traditional Indian wedding garb stands high above downtown Pittsburgh before their Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

Asha and Vinay with downtown Pittsburgh in the background. There aren’t too many views that equal this one!

A couple walks along a path in Emerald View Park on Mt. Washington with the Ohio River and West End Bridge below them.

So I said “we” earlier. Helping me for this wedding was my friend Katie Hyslop (this photo is hers). I am grateful to have had such a hard-working teammate who was also a blast to be around!

Portraits of a smiling bride and groom wearing blue and gold traditional Indian wedding garb before their Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

After Mt. Washington we headed back down to the Wyndham Grand. We took advantage of the spring flowers in Gateway Center for a few photos before heading inside for the Sangeet.

A couple stand close facing each other with blurry pink flowers in the foreground.

I love this one of Asha and Vinay!

An Indian woman smiles and touches the cheek of a groom prior to his Sangeet.

The couple greeted their guests in the King’s Garden Ballroom.

A pair of colorfully dressed young Indian women dance as a bride and groom sit on an ornate swing and applaud during their sangeet at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh.

Guests provided an evening of entertainment. It’s a lovely tradition that ranges from heartfelt speeches, to singing and choreographed dance numbers.

A bride laughs and holds a football above her head as wedding guests in Pittsburgh Steelers gear surround her.

And since this is Pittsburgh you know there will be something to do with the Steelers 😄

A bride and groom wearing traditional Indian wedding clothes dance with their guests during the Sangeet at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh.

The night ended with a big old dance party. Love it!

Wedding Day

Closeup photos of wedding clothing for an Indian bride and groom.

We were back at it early the next morning. After starting coverage on Thursday I was excited for the big day to finally arrive!

A bride is helped by two older Indian women as she gets her gold and red sari on before her Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

I had some fun with reflections while Asha got some help from her mom and auntie.

A groom smiles as he puts on a red and gold turban.

Vinay was in a suite upstairs getting ready.

A bride looks up with her eyes as a makeup artist applies her bindi.

I’m always happy when I see that my clients are working with Allison Roth. She’s a real pro who made sure that all of the ladies looked great. Here she applies Asha’s bindi.

Portrait of a bride in a red and gold sari and another photo of her father's reaction as he sees her.

There was one important guy for Asha to see before heading down to meet Vinay – her dad, Ram. He was delighted to see Asha in her wedding garb.

A bride in a red and gold sari sneaks up on her groom wearing a white and gold tunic and a red and gold turban during their first look.

Asha snuck up on Vinay during the first look. They were so excited for the day!

Silhouette of a couple standing beneath the bridge over Point State Park.

It was still early but there were a ton of people in Point State Park for the 5K during Pittsburgh Marathon weekend. I like how the crowds added to the silhouette of the couple.

Seen from above, a groom wearing a gold and white tunic spins his bride in her red and gold sari.

The Ceremonies Begin

Getting started so early in the day meant that the light was beautiful as we walked down by the fountain. I kind of wish that all wedding days started at 6am. I’m kidding! Sort of 😉

Indian men and women sit on the floor of a room during a Gauri Puja.

Asha, her parents and sister Vaidehi gathered in a conference space for her Gauri Puja.

An Indian groom holds his hands out as he arrives to his baraat during his Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

Vinay arrived on horseback for the Baraat (Katie’s photo).

A groom laughs as he dances outdoors with women in traditional Indian garb.

Vinay got off of the horse to dance with his guests. He has the best laugh!

An Indian groom is lifted on the shoulders of his friends during his Baraat.

Vinay’s buddies picked him up and carried him on their shoulders.

An Indian bride is carried in a basket to her wedding ceremony by a group of men.

Asha arrives in style to the ceremony (Katie’s photo).

A groom sits behind a painted curtain as his bride waits during an Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

Vinay was already there, hidden behind a curtain.

A bride and groom hold their hands on each other's heads as family members gather around during their Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham.

A bride wearing traditional Indian wedding clothing is illuminated by candles on a tray that she is holding.

After seeing each other Asha makes her second entrance. This time carrying a tray of candles. Very dramatic, isn’t it?

A bride and groom dump handfuls of rice over each other's heads during a traditional Indian wedding ceremony.

So this started out nice. Asha and Vinay each took a turn dropping a few grains of rice on each other. It got out of hand pretty quickly 😅

A bride and groom hold hands above their heads as they recess from their wedding while guests throw rose petals at them.

Afterwards, the couple exited as guests threw rose petals.

The Grand Ballroom at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh set up for a traditional Indian wedding.

Here are a couple of photos of what the setup for the ceremony in the Grand Ballroom looked like. The staff at the Wyndham Grand wasted no time flipping the room for the reception.

The Reception

The Grand Ballroom of the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh decorated for a wedding with flowers, cake, and purple lighting.

Same room as above, but with a completely different feel. The decor and lighting made the Grand Ballroom into an elegant dinner space.

A groom wearing a black tuxedo toasts his bride in a long dress, reflected in a floor-length mirror.

After washing off all of the rice they spilled on each other, Asha and Vinay changed into formal evening wear. Ever the classy guy, Vinay toasts his beautiful bride.

A bride and groom wearing formal evening attire toast each other with champagne.

A bride and groom hold hands as they enter their wedding reception to high-fives from their guests.

The couple made a grand entrance as their guests cheered!

Lit by a single spot, a bride and groom share a first dance in a darkened ballroom.

Their first dance was followed by dinner, speeches and an evening of dancing. Logistics and scheduling can be a real challenge when you plan an event over the span of several days in different locations. Hats off to Events by Nisar for their flawless execution. Nisar and his team made life easy for everyone. There are so many great photos from this Indian Wedding Pittsburgh Wyndham that I couldn’t fit them into one post. To see more check out the slideshow below.

 

 

Also, check out Nadia and Tom’s lovely South Asian wedding at the Renaissance and Phipps. You’ll love it!