If there was one constant throughout this intimate wedding celebration, it was confirmation after confirmation of how perfect Janani and Tejas are for each other. The emotions ran high as the close-knit congregation of their family & friends all spoke about how happy they are that these two gentle, sweet souls found each other.
Janani and Tejas’s COVID wedding was filled with the warmth of bright, genuine smiles and laughter. Their beautiful Tamilian-Maharashtrian wedding was the most harmonious mix of two cultures - though they went along with most of the Marathi rituals - beginning with a cosy haldi in the morning, which called Halad Chadavane in Marathi. During this ceremony, we saw the women of the family gently apply turmeric paste using mango leaves on the tops of the hands of the couple.
The same evening they had the Mehendi ceremony, which was filled with understated decor and lots of speeches by loved ones, the warmth of their closeness filling the air. Janani changed from her red and gold embroidered salwar suit for the haldi into a gorgeous turquoise one, with a beautifully embroidered sharara bottom. After the application of the bridal mehendi on her hands and feet, the small gathering of guests settled down for an evening of heartfelt speeches about the couple—embarrassing, adorable stories of their respective childhoods, of how lovely they are, and how similar they are to each other, making them and their families a perfect fit.
On the morning of their Maharashtrian wedding ceremony, the light shone perfectly, and the jewel tones in everyone’s outfits popped in the spacious, outdoor, tree-covered venue. Janani donned a gorgeous, crisp yellow-orange-gold sari, with gold jewellery to match, draping over her neck, the length of her ears, and adorning her forehead with a gorgeous star-shaped maang tikka. The groom was welcome by the bride’s family, his feet washed while they joked and laughed, their closeness palpable. Meanwhile, at the mantap, Janani’s clan of women were seen gently putting on her Mundavalya, which is the first identifiable visual of a Marathi bride: a pearl-studded string ornament tied horizontally across the forehead with two vertical strings dangling down from both the sides, framing the bride’s face. They made sure to carefully tuck it under the gem-studded star on her forehead.
As the calm, warm wedding continued and Janani and Tejas became newly married, the couple and their families glowed with joy, filling up the space under the great big banyan tree with their bright smiles.
