Traditional Indian wedding
• Bright, ritualistic celebration that takes place over several days
• Large number of attendees, some may even be unknown to the wedding couple
• Emphasis more on families uniting than individuals involved
WEST CHESTER TWP. — The average bride spends many years dreaming about her wedding day.
For Shona Patel, it was three days.
Patel, the valedictorian of her 1999 Lakota West graduating class, was married this weekend in a traditional Indian wedding that spanned from Friday, May 28 to Sunday, May 30.
The event started with the women participating in a Henna party on Friday, followed by religious ceremonies and dancing Saturday. On Sunday, Patel married Vishvesh Mehta. Four hundred people attended the event at Savannah Center at Chappell Crossing, 5533 Chappell Crossing Blvd., in West Chester Twp.
Patel, who now lives and works in New Jersey, said family was coming from all over the country, including from India for the traditional Hindu wedding and reception.
The bride wore a sari, a special wedding dress from West India and the groom wore an Indian groom outfit.
Although the price of the wedding wasn’t disclosed, Patel’s mother, Shobha said it was quite an investment.
“I’m not sure if it’s worth the cost, but I’m just trying to convince myself I’m helping the economy,” she said.
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