Colorful Saris and Scenery: An Indian Wedding Reception in Utah

Nuha and Prahalad knew they wanted to have a wedding reception in Utah after their wedding in Michigan in August 2024. After moving from Detroit to Utah for dental school in 2023, Nuha had found a second family here; when her Utah friends couldn’t make it to their wedding in Michigan, it was important to her to be able to celebrate with them, too.

“Moving to Utah was definitely a little bit scary for me because it was the first time I was all alone here. I don’t have any family here. I didn’t have any friends here that I knew from before. And then once I moved here, I was able to become friends with a lot of really amazing people.”

“It was difficult for everybody to make it back to Michigan for the wedding, so I decided I would do an event in Utah as well, so we could actually celebrate with our friends that basically became our second family here in Utah.”

Utah Reception

Almost exactly a year after their Michigan wedding, they got to celebrate in Utah at a stunning event inspired by Utah’s beautiful mountains and scenery. “I wanted lots of florals and fresh fruits and greenery to tie in the Utah mountains and the end of summer. I feel like this made my decor look more intimate and tied in with nature, which was my goal.”

Their wedding colors were green, peach, and mauve, and it was, of course, the perfect palette to match their celebration.

“It was really special. All of my Utah friends really enjoyed it. And it was really nice to share that moment with them because I was a little bit sad that they weren’t able to make it to my wedding back in Michigan. I also had my parents and three of my closest friends from Michigan fly in as well, and my brother.”

Soda Shop Soulmate

And of course, any Utah wedding simply has to include drinks from everyone’s favorite Utah soda shop.

“I love Swig. Ever since I got here, I’ve become addicted, so the fact that we were able to actually get them to cater was awesome. It was funny because I actually surprised my guests with that because all of us love Swig. None of us are from Utah, so it was a new thing for all of us. And they were like, ‘Oh, it’s very on brand for her,’ because I’m always talking about getting my Swig after school.”

Even if you’re not originally from Utah, we all know anyone who lives here inevitably finds love in the drive-through. Dirty drinks all around!

Secret Garden

But Swig was just the beginning; after their Michigan wedding, Nuha went into planning their Utah reception with experience under her belt, or rather, her sari. After hosting over 700 guests at their first reception, her main priority was to have an intimate and intentional event for each of their guests in Utah.

“In this one, we really wanted to make sure that it was small enough to pay attention to everyone, cater to everyone, be able to talk to them, and take pictures with them. And I really, really wanted an outdoor wedding.”

And Siempre was the answer to her outdoor Indian wedding reception in Utah dreams!

“I love the Utah scenery, the mountains; it was pretty green in our pictures because it was in August. It had to be outdoors, it had to be small and intimate. And we were able to do that. At Siempre, they have this secret garden area on the outside, and they were super accommodating.”

Dinner Party Delight

The secret garden was where they had their intimate outdoor dinner, and they were able to take pictures with each table as they visited each one throughout the night.

“I always thought of the sweetheart table as being excluded from the rest of the party. But the way Siempre set the tables up was really nice; they were still close enough to my husband and me that we could still see what everyone was doing and be able to talk to them.”

Nuha and Prahalad also each gave speeches at their dinner, “Thanking each other for this past year of marriage and thanking our guests for being such a special part of our lives for the past three years.”

Bringing Indian Traditions to Utah

Beyond just the dinner, the whole celebration was a way for Nuha to share her Indian traditions with her Utah friends. Saris and Swig? Count us in!

“It was cool to watch all of my friends be so excited and have so much fun, and get a glimpse into my home life and my culture.”

And of course, the bride was beautiful beyond belief. “I wore fresh jasmine flowers in my hair as an homage to traditional Indian brides. All of my friends wore traditional indian clothing, which was dear to me to see them embrace my culture and be so excited about it; I also wore my mother’s jewelry that she handed down to me.”

Each of their guests got to wear their own Indian wedding clothing, and they definitely understood the assignment.

“They were super excited about it because they said they’ve always wanted to go to an Indian wedding. They all got all their clothes and jewelry, and that was really fun to see. We were all dressing up a few weeks before, everyone was trying on their outfits, and I was helping them with their jewelry and stuff. That was definitely one of my favorite parts, for sure.”

Rose Garlands and Rings

Another aspect of their Indian wedding reception in Utah that was special for Nuha was their garland ceremony; Nuha’s parents stayed up for hours the night before hand-sewing the fresh rose garlands they placed around Nuha and Prahalad. “That was really special to me; having them fly out here and be there with us and meeting my Utah family.”

And after donning the garlands, they had their very own “find the ring” game, a tradition that Nuha loves.

“Growing up, all the new couples played this game in our Indian tradition. You have a tub of either water or milk, and you put a bunch of flowers on the top to hide what’s going on on the bottom. So we did water and a bunch of rose petals. And then the bride and groom will take off their rings, and they’ll throw them in the tub, and then you have to find them blind.”

“Whoever finds the ring first is determined to be ‘wearing the pants’ in the relationship. It’s a fun game that we do after the couple gets married, so I thought this would be another fun way to share my culture with my friends.”

We know you’re wondering, and the answer is yes, Nuha did, in fact, find the rings first.

Bridal Bestie Benefits

Other ways Nuha and Prahalad made their Utah wedding personal to each guest were by incorporating details like personalized place cards with a note on their napkins. But their guests gave right back in special ways too.

“My cake was made by one of my best friends here, and it was a very special gift from her. My henna was done by two of my closest friends who flew in from Michigan.”

Looking back, Nuha is happy she decided to have a Utah reception, after going back and forth on whether or not they would. “I am glad I had the reception overall. My friends in Utah mean a lot to me, and Utah as a place as well. I wanted them to be a part of my wedding, and since they were unable to make it last year, I am so glad they were able to this year.”

We’re over here having bestie jealousy and wishing we were Nuha’s friends, too!

Focus On Your Why

Nuha’s advice is to focus on the big picture while you’re planning your wedding. “As brides, we get caught up with all of the small details, which is good; this is a day that we’re dreaming about our entire lives. Every napkin, every fork, every flower petal, every single thing can get super overwhelming for us. What we don’t realize is if we’re getting stressed on the inside, it’s definitely going to start showing on the outside.”

“Keep in mind why you’re here, the main point of being here, the fact that you’re actually getting married, the fact that you’re having your wedding, and you’re surrounded by people who really love and care about you. And then everything else will fall into place.”

And we might add, opt for a second reception right here in Utah, and all the natural beauty of the surrounding landscapes (and glistening, bubbly drive-through sodas) will bring it together perfectly. All the proof you need for why is right here in these photos of Nuha and Prahalad’s perfect day.