Runeet and Mayank’s reception was so much fun. I immediately noticed that both families love to have a good time and dance. As soon as the first beat of music hit, the entire dance floor was full, and remained that way for the entire night. Everyone was dancing- young, old, men, women, aunts, uncles, children, friends, and family. Good music and lots of laughing, drinking, and good times! I’ll admit… it was really tough to not join the dancing, especially when everyone was having such a good time!! The reception was so much fun, and that was thanks to all the family and friends who made it special!
The pictures below are just a tiny glimpse into the fun times during the reception!
While Runeet was getting ready, Mayank and his family arrived at the Gurdwara and were greeted by the priest and Runeet’s family. A quick prayer was performed and then everybody was served chai and appetizers.
The music began in the prayer hall and the guests arrived, followed by Mayank, who sat in the front center. Runeet entered, followed by her closest relatives and sat next to Mayank. The beautiful ceremony began with prayers, followed by music and hymns.
Surprise! It’s not Mandev, it’s me, Jasmine, guest blogging for the first time in my life 🙂 I’ll start by saying that I am not a photographer, not a designer, not an artist. I just like making things look pretty- ha! Not long ago, I moved from California to Chicago as a fresh chapter of life unfolded. Chicago is a new city for me, and the job I was starting- extremely busy. So, it was very important to me to create a sort of haven in my new Windy City home. I spent about two months scouring Craigslist, Homegoods, TJMaxx, and basically everywhere I went looking for things that spoke to me. The catch? I would be starting my first ‘real’ job and so had a very limited budget. Plus, I’m cheap. Here are some pictures of old items found on Craigslist, which I tweaked with basic ‘tools’ such as spray paint (ooooh, fancy) to make them more cohesive and more me. Hope you all enjoy the results as much as I do!
- lamps for $2/piece
- tables for $5/piece
- chair for $20
BEFORE….
Here are some before shots of the table, chairs, sidetable, and lamps. In the bottom right, is the inspiration board I used to keep the creativity focused.
AFTER….
The living room lamps and tables came to life with a fresh coat of paint. Got this upholstered chair for 20 bucks from a sweet old lady (thank you Craigslist), and the pine cones were gathered at Morton Arboretum.
Who knew that a little black spray paint could create a perfect Parisian cafe?! Perfect for sipping tea and enjoying the city.
Can you believe this is the same $20 sidetable with the $2 lamp on top? After painting the table, I switched out the hardware with knobs I found at Homegoods. Fabric store remnants + foam + wooden frame = headboard. The blue lamp is the brother of the yellow lamp in the living room (both which cost a total of 4 bucks).
The jars have been in our family for 15 years, but look fresh and new with yellow paint (and no, I didn’t paint the inside). 🙂 As for the other details- God Bless Homegoods!
On a side note, for me, the mark of a good artist is one who sees beauty in daily life; one who can make you pause and wonder at a small, yet momentous moments. And whenever I’ve looked through Mandev’s work, it’s as though I’m browsing through a series of momentous moments; just like life. Thanks for letting me cameo in your blog Mandev! Keep up the great work.
Alex and Jamie have a classic high school love story. They started dating young, during their freshman year of high school (2003), and got married 7 years later, in 2010. It’s the fairytale story that only seems to happen in the movies. Alex and Jamie both grew up in the small town of Bellingham, WA, where they began making memories together by going to proms, school dances, and football games. You know, the things we all do in high school. Growing up in Bellingham, they have always been supported and surrounded by good friends and family. Every wedding has something that makes it unique and special, and for Alex and Jamie, the underlying charm was friendship.
Alex has grown up with his groomsman, and they’ve been through countless adventures together. Because they knew each other so well, the depth of their friendship was at the forefront all day. Actually, there were many times that I couldn’t hold back the laughter at some of the things they did. In fact, I want to create future blog post dedicated solely to the groomsman and their funny antics of the day. The guys were absolutely great, and I had a great time hanging out with them.
Friendship at the wedding went far beyond the groomsman. Because Alex and Jamie grew up in Bellingham and went to the same school, they had many mutual friends. It seemed like everybody knew everybody, and that made for some good ole’ fashion fun! The speeches were hilarious, the jokes were funny, and the entire sentiment of the day was that of love and companionship.
Thank you, Alex and Jamie, for giving me the opportunity to capture these memories of your wedding day.
It was so easy to see the friendship these guys had with Alex, and with Jamie. Everything with this group was so easy. They had fun together, and they were all genuinely happy for their friends, Alex and Jamie.
The venue, Evergreen Gardens, was absolutely beautiful. There was a log cabin surrounded by huge cedar trees that seemed to reach up and touch the sky. It provided the perfect backdrop for this outdoor, country-wedding.
The giant cedar trees provided the perfect backdrop for Alex and Jamie’s wedding. The sun seemed to echo the feelings at the wedding, providing warmth and joy, all day long.
By far, some of the funniest reception speeches I’ve heard in a long time. Everyone was laughing, toasting, and having a great time as they honored Alex and Jamie’s marriage. Because everyone at the wedding were such good friends, the speeches were free-flowing and everyone was happy. There was one moment, when each of the groomsman stood up and went to hug Alex’s mom. A testament to the years of friendship they have with each other.
