The bride and groom may hail from totally different traditions, but love brought their families together for a multicultural wedding in Nashville, Tennessee at Arrington vineyard. When the couple has totally different ceremony traditions in mind, why not have both? Jill and Ashik chose to mix a modern Indian wedding and traditional Christian one for a celebration unique to them and their heritage. Cross cultural weddings are no easy feat, but with the help of Harper Hadley Events, they executed it seamlessly. Below the planner shares more about this beautiful multicultural wedding and the details that made it so special.
Planner, Jenn, shares…
Jill and Ashik have a beautiful, simple, respectful, colorful, adventurous and deep love. They come from different cultures, states, schools and traditions, but their finding each other was meant to be. Having known Jill over half of our lives, it was such a joy to watch their relationship grow and to help design and execute their marriage celebration! As we started talking about what they both wanted to highlight and share with their family and friends, everything unfolded seamlessly. We set out to plan a destination wedding in Nashville incorporating both Christian and Hindu faiths, Jill’s love of soft yellow, and fall hues with traditionally colorful Indian reds. What resulted is one of my favorite and most intentional designs yet!
Once we agreed on a palette for the multicultural wedding of buttercream yellow, a dusty french blue, and merlot, we built out textures and details. Each of which were incredibly intentional. The venue, Arrington Vineyard, was chosen for its beautiful scenery, delicious wine and the fact that Jill and Ashik love the outdoors and visiting wineries when they travel. They are also avid hikers, cyclists and outdoor lovers. So it was natural to select a venue that allowed for spending time outside. Of course, that also needed to translate into their beautiful paper designed by Andi’s Invites.
Andrea designed a beautiful set of custom stationery for this celebration – everything from the invitation suite to programs to menus. She also included a beautiful floral print back on the invitation so guests could keep them as an art print for their home. What a fun and thoughtful detail.
Emily, of Kennedy Occasions, did a stellar job with the floral designs. Jill wanted something soft, natural and feminine for the bouquets and arrangements. Additionally, we needed Varmala for the Hindu ceremony and a lush altar garland to frame the ceremony. The colors, textures and details that Emily incorporated were above and beyond anything we could have dreamed up and truly took the day to another level.
Another fun aspect of the attire was that the bridal party donned both American and Indian traditional dress for the ceremony. It was important to incorporate both religions and cultures as Jill and Ashik began their marriage. The ceremony was a fusion of Hindu and Christian faith including both a Hindu Priest to bless their marriage and life, and Pastor Sherrie to facilitate traditional vows and ring ceremonies. The multicultural wedding ceremony was a unique and deeply meaningful beginning to Jill and Ashik’s life together.
The linens and rentals from Southern Events were so beautiful, and their team was an absolute dream to work with. We selected a textured ivory and gold table linen with burgundy napkins to add dimension and interest to our tables. We also mixed harvest tables with linen rounds for visual interest. The garlands that Emily designed added a softness to the harvest tables that made the entire tent feel so cozy and magical (especially when the bistro lights came on)!
The food was very important to both Jill and Ashik. For them, food is the center of any celebration and family gathering. They also enjoy trying new recipes regularly and cooking together on date nights in. Naturally, that meant we had to find a caterer with a wide range of options and Chef’s Market delivered in spades. The menu included fried chicken sliders, beef sliders, homemade mac and cheese (one of Jill’s favorites) and much more. We also brought in traditional Indian dishes for a full culinary experience. Let me tell you, there was not a hungry soul to be found.
Just when all of the guests thought they couldn’t possibly eat another bite, the cherry on top was the amazing dessert spread! We had pies and treats from Meridees, including blueberry, because one of Ashik’s fondest childhood memories was blueberry picking, cake from Nashville Sweets, and other items from Ashik’s childhood bakery in Ohio. To say these two love to pamper their guests with comfort food is more than fair. They even had custom dessert boxes made for guests to take sweets for the road – and they did!
There are no words to adequately express the joy and love that floated through the air that late summer evening in September. When the day drew to a close, strangers had become friends, friends had become family, and everyone was celebrating a Hawkeye State (Iowa vs. Iowa State) under the bistro lights.
Want to see another wedding in Nashville? This whimsical outdoor wedding is one of our favorites!