my best friends wedding day!!!

Saturday started off well. Almost everyone was where the should have been. The MOH ended up not coming to any of the events because of tooth pain...so she missed the hair and makeup portion of the day. We headed over to an Aveda Spa that Lee had done her test run at to get our hair done. The salon was nice, cozy, and very accomodating. There was a little table and chairs that we set up our Panera Bread spread {aka hangover food} on and we headed to the chairs to get beautiful! The wedding photographer was there and I somehow managed not to snap a single picture...sad but true. I'll have to get some from Lee.

After hair and makeup we headed over to hangout at the venue - we knew it would take Leena a while to get dressed in her Sari. There was some last minute things to take care of but for the most part we were just doing makeup, listening to music, eating some lunch, and getting ready!!

Love her

I layed Lee's clothes out for the photog to take pictures of.

Ranjana helping Leena get dressed.

Me being the official safety pin holder.

Leena wearing her Mom's sari that she wore 32 years ago...wonderful.

Ranjana getting dressed.

Ready for the ceremony

Jerome waiting for Leena

Giving the bride away

The Indian part of the ceremony

Walking around the stage.

The gorgeous venue!!

Married women!!!

Lee and my Mom

The Oakes' and The Gronli's

Isn't she gorgeous!!!

Forever friends.

SO happy Jason made the trip

My wonderful henna

Dad and daughter

Lee testing out all 3 cupcake choices.

It was QUITE the wedding day!!!

my best friends wedding ~ the PRE wedding festivities...

A friend is defined as "a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard."

Leena and I have been friends since 1989. When we became friends the Internet didn't exist, telephones had cords, we lived in St. Louis, MO, and life was simple - school, play, swim.

Life has gotten a lot more complex. At times we've lived half a world away. When I think of our friendship it brings tears to my eyes. We lived by each other for 3 years from the ages of 6 - 9. I moved to Washington in 1992. Leena moved from STL in 1998 to India. She returned to the states in 2001 for college. It is quite amazing to think that our friendship that started when we were 6 will last a life time.

Okay...on to the wedding story!! There are a TON of pictures - way too many to put on a blog post. SO you can go HERE to see all the albums.

Leena's wedding was a multi-day, multicultural (for me at least) event. I arrived on Wednesday and went straight into bridesmaid mode. Wednesday night we had homemade Indian food - a first time for me!!!

Indian Food

So good and so spicy!!

Thursday was a busy day. Leena had her nails done, we ran some errands, and then it was back home for a ceremony and Mhendi (Henna). It was so amazing to be able to document this. There was praying & partying, henna & a full household, dancing & no dad's feeding daughters!

The Ketkar Family

The bride and groom getting some food

Protecting the carpet from the henna.

The beautiful bride

Praying for the grandparents who are no longer with us

Ceremony for the couple

Mother and Daughter

The Bride and her henna

Dancing!!! Lots of dancing!!!

The whole weekend was amazing to be a part of. Many of Leena's family members I hadn't seen since I was a kid and many of them remembered me as the blonde girl. It was great to get to see her brother and her parents for a few days in a row. It was such an honor to be a part of this wedding!!

Friday involved the bridesmaids getting their nails done and finishing up some last minute details! My husband and my parents arrived on Friday with time for Jason to join us at the rehearsal dinner.

The Eeds' and The Gronli's

A night out...

...in Chicago.

We did go out for Leena's bachelorette party the evening after the bridal shower. After the naps, cupcakes, showers, and standard bachelorette party games and drinks in the hotel :) Though Leena wouldn't appreciate if I posted those pictures so I won't but I will post some from the "out and about" part of the evening.

A little coffee first ;-)

We started at the Mexican restaurant Adobo - Old City. It was bit peculiar of a place to me. Maybe because I'm from the PNW where every beer is readily available and most Mexican restaurants have whatever drinks you might want. This one didn't do anything besides standard Margarita's and 4 choices of beer. I opted for the Corona Light...it was Corona Light.

My Lee.

Love her :)

After dinner we headed to Second City. Camera's weren't (supposed) to be allowed inside but I snuck a few pictures!!

Before the show.

The cast. Maybe someday one of them will be famous. I kept the program just in case!

The crew!

Well done. Hilarious!!!

A whirlwind trip...

...to the windy city!!

I went to Chicago for a weekend, really, about 48 hours when all was said and done. It was a great trip. Leena, who was my maid of honor, is getting married in July and I flew out for her bridal shower and bachelorette par-tay!!!

The shower was planned by her bridal party and a close family friend Jackie. It was ana amazing and beautiful event!!

Maya and I built a fort so Lee couldn't see what we were doing!!

the lovely gitfs. everything in the bag was from India. so lovely.

gorgeous flowers.

Ann and Lee :)

Lee was a BIT surprised by her cousin being there :-)

Lee and her Mom, Ranjana. I love this picture.

The happy couple. Leena and Jerome.

Myself and Rahul, the bride's brother.

The Ketkar's

The new family :)

A little nap ;-)