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We ran across these scrumptious and gorgeous hand-crafted baked goods by Creme Delicious, a New York based cake boutique. They describe each cake as a, “unique piece of art and an elegant edible jewel which can mark any occasion special.” The sugary works of art resemble the intricate designs of henna tattoos, a sort of body art that can be adorned by Indian brides at Indian weddings. The edible henna cakes take up to 30 minutes to design each (wow!) and are available in four flavors (chocolate, vanilla, green tea, and red velvet). As of now, Creme Delicious offers the cakes in only two options: heart or square, but perhaps they will open up the options in the future. Our favorite part of the ordering process? Deciding what colors to decorate the cakes with! Currently, these jewel-like cakes come in red, pink, orange (our favorite color!), black, white, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
Did we mention Oprah Magazine featured these edible masterpieces? Pretty legit in our book!
To learn more and see more photos of the delicious henna, jewel-like cakes, visit Creme Delicious.
{Photos are property of Creme Delicious}
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A sangeet is a traditional Hindu Punjabi ceremony held before a baraat. It is considered a ladies-only event, but men can participate if they are close to the bride and groom. The day is filled with dancing, singing, and a joyous celebration of the couple’s relationship. Depending on the size of the sangeet, it can be held in a large venue or at a house. To put it in a more Westernized term, it’s similar to a rehearsal dinner but differs because it’s a grander celebration of the couple’s history and journey towards marriage.
The two pictures above were from a wedding we worked on last year. The theme was a fun luau that had many natural elements in the sangeet decor.
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Miharue and Vivch wanted a fabulous wedding full of details and colors inspired by their Japanese and Indian roots. Like their marriage, the two cultures blended perfectly into their wedding and reception theme! Held at a private estate in the Inland Empire, the couple had a traditional Indian ceremony complete with a gorgeous mandap, and the bride donned an Indian gown; later changed into a Japanese kumon. Signifying “luck,” bright colors like red, orange, and gold were prominent throughout the decor, floral, and wedding cake. To see the feature from SDSW, visit San Diego Wedding Style.
Venue: Private estate in Inland Empire
Photography: Brett Charles Rose Photography
Gowns: Atirma, Indian Gown and kumon from Japan
Groom’s formalwear: Imported from Japan
Florist: ArtQuest Floral
Lighting: Amber Yin Event Design
Catering & Rentals: Indulge Contemporary Catering
Reception Entertainment: Needle Free Pugs DJ; Reiko Obata (Japanese Performers)
Cake: Dream Cakes
Invitations: From India
Jewelry: Highglow Jewelers
Hair & Makeup: KC Stylist Studio
Transportation: Beverly Hills Best Valet
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If you’re planning a Sikh wedding or have the pleasure of attending one, we’ve got the scoop on Sikh traditions and what to expect at one. A Sikh is a person who follows Sikhism, an Indian religion. Although Sikh weddings and Indian weddings share many similarities like a baraat, sangeet, and mandap, they have distinctive qualities which set them apart. Sikh weddings, are also known as “Anand Karaj” or “blissful union” and usually take place at the Sikh temple or anywhere else the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy bible) is present.
Dress Code
All guests and those a part of the bride and groom’s families are required to cover their heads at the wedding. Men wear turbans or bandannas, while women wear shawls or bandannas to cover their heads as a sign of respect for the holy place.
Here you can see everyone’s heads are covered in respect for the holy temple.
The Ceremony Setting
[Taken at a Thomas Bui Lifestyle Sikh wedding event]
No chairs! Yes everyone sits on the ground. Even within the mandap, everyone must sit on the ground but they’re allowed to sit upon small pillows as long as the cushions are touching the ground. There is a special mandap for the holy book. Once at the ceremony, everyone walks in a line to put some money into a box next to the holy bible then bows down to the holy bible or kneels in prayer.
The Wedding Day
The groom and his baraat arrives to the bride’s house in style. Whether by a decorated elephant or horse, the groom rides into the ceremony flanked by a “sarvala” who protects the groom. At the bride’s house, the “milini” ceremony is held where the bride and groom’s respective families embrace as a symbol of the two families joining into one.
During the wedding ceremony, the lavan from the Guru Granth Sahib will take place. After the reading of each verse, the couple walk around the guru granth Sahib in a clockwise direction, the groom leading the bride. This is repeated 4x.
You’ll notice the groom has a sword on him at all times and it’s a nod to Sikh history. Years before, Sikh warriors were often targeted by assassins, so they carried the sword for protection. Now a days, the sword is more of a decoration aspect.
Doli Muklava or Vidai
The Doli ceremony marks the end of the wedding celebration. It’s an emotional time for the bride’s family. As the bride departs from her beloved parent’s house, she throws back handfuls of rice over her shoulder, thereby wishing prosperity for her parents and family, which she leaves behind to start a new life with new dreams and aspirations.
Since the bride wears many gold bracelets on her wrists, she can shake them over the heads of her closest female friends as a sign of good luck. If a coin comes loose, the single female friend can take the coin as a symbol of marital luck; much like the Western tradition of tossing the bride’s bouquet. The one with the biggest coin will get married first! 
If you’d like more detailed information on Sikh weddings or advice on how to plan one, contact Nahid Farhoud at info@weddingelegancesd.com!
Photos:
About.com, Serendipity Photography
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Indian weddings encompass tradition and grandeur by bringing in bright and luxe details to their decor. One of the most recognized features of an Indian wedding is the “mandap.” A mandap is a covered structure with pillars, similar to a canopy or gazebo, used during wedding ceremonies. Traditionally they’re made of wood and adorned with garlands of mango and banana leaves, coconuts, kalashas (pots filled with water) and other natural elements. Now mandaps can be constructed with other modern and high-end materials. Within the mandap are two royal chairs for the bride and groom, side chairs for the parents, and a pedestal for the sacred fire.
Not many people are familiar with the rituals and celebrations involved with Indian weddings, but the fascination is growing. Just recently, an Indian wedding was featured in the CW hit TV show, “90210″!
A screenshot from the 90210 episode!
Although mandaps are used in Hindu weddings, you can get inspiration from the elaborate details and use something similar in your own wedding!
We love the different ways people decorate mandaps. The detail, colors, and elements used help to celebrate the union between the couple.
Photo credits from top to bottom: Wikipedia, personal screenshot image, Alankar Decors, Balamani Bride, Celewire, Maharani Weddings, Singh’s Production, The Wedding Travelers, Weddings by Georgia, Mandaps Maker, Wikipedia
Nahid Farhoud founder and owner of Wedding Elegance by Nahid is internationally recognized for combining passion for design and décor with her extensive knowledge of different cultures, to create wedding events that are unique, festive and memorable.
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