Oak Brook, Il Fusion Wedding by Chasing Stills

Darlings, it is with immense joy and pleasure that we bring you the enchanting tale of Brinda & Luke's wedding. Set against the breathtaking Hilton Oak Brook Hills Resort backdrop, this South Asian wedding was meticulously planned and designed by DVS Events, where every corner was adorned with flowers and decor by Elite Party Decor. Brinda's exquisite bridal attire from Krishna Fashion House & Risa Designs radiated with beauty and grace. Her hair and makeup, expertly done by The Face Pro, enhanced her natural beauty and left everyone in awe. Henna'd by Shereen's intricate mehndi added traditional beauty. But what truly stole the show was the catering by Anmol Catering. The splendid spread of delectable South Asian cuisine left taste buds tingling and hearts full. This team exceeded all expectations and made this wedding a culinary delight to remember. The beats of the music, skillfully curated by DJ Dhol Master Sherlock, had everyone on their feet! Through the lens of Chasing Stills, every moment of this lovely wedding was captured with sheer brilliance. Ladies, I invite you to check out the gallery for inspiration for your upcoming special day. You will love it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Brinda and Luke met each other on the first day of college at Saint Louis University through their Presidential Scholar cohort. Brinda loved Luke’s passion for learning, and how he would spend his free time pursuing his own business with St. Louis start-ups. Luke loved Brinda’s vivacity and how she could make anyone smile – whether it was her friends, her research lab mates, or retired Jesuit priests on campus.

Brinda and Luke became fast friends. Their friendship grew over Luke cooking Brinda Michelin-quality meals in a dorm room kitchen, Brinda teaching Luke Indian dance moves, and Luke showing Brinda around his hometown of St. Louis. Luke and Brinda’s first official date was at Mad Tomato, a restaurant owned and managed by Luke’s extended family in Clayton, Missouri.

After Brinda graduated from her MBA program, Brinda and Luke moved to Chicago. Luke successfully began pursuing his own company full-time with Brinda’s utmost belief in him. Chicago brought a new community, new work, new hobbies, and better pizza (sorry St. Louis Imo’s fans).

After 8 years of shared moments, Luke asked Brinda to marry him in Kauai, Hawaii. They're excited about the life they have built, and will continue to build, together.

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.

We knew that we wanted to get married in the Midwest so the celebrations would be accessible to our family. We fell in love with the Hilton Oak Brook Hills resort as it had different spaces for each of our events, in addition to a golf course, pickleball courts, pools, and more that all our guests could use! From there, the first vendor we booked was Luke's Baraat Horse from Maharaja Farms!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I am so lucky that both my Bengali red saree and wedding gown were designed by two of my aunts. One of my aunts owns the boutique Risa Designs by Sanchita and gifted me the beautiful red benarasi sari adorned with Swarovski crystals. My veil was handcrafted in India to have a Bengali quote on it which loosely translates to "I surrender my heart filled with love to you.”

My wedding gown was personally designed by my aunt Rajashree Basu of Krishna Fashion House. I wanted an Indo-Western fusion gown that honored my culture, while still meeting my childhood dreams of having "a white dress" on my special day. She went above and beyond in designing an elegant gown and veil which I will cherish forever.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Planning a wedding for 600 guests is a community effort. It was so fun having my mom, sister, and mashis (aunties) all play a huge role in planning for our wedding. They were instrumental in decorating for events, thinking through bridal party outfits, getting me ready the morning of the wedding, choreographing for our sangeet, and so much more. I could not be more grateful!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our wedding was a non-stop party. Our guests never left the dance floor, loved the non-stop flow of food from Anmol Catering and Hilton Oak Brook Hills, were awed by the unique Bengali traditions, loved having their henna done and visiting our giveaway station of purses, bindis, and more.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My father-daughter dance was a highlight for the evening! While we started off with a slow dance to "Dilbaro", we unexpectedly shifted to the high-energy "Malhari" song! Everyone was blown away by my dad's performance (coupled with fireworks that went off in the background)! Our sangeet performance line-up was also high-energy, with young kids, my friends, my cousins, Luke's friends, and my family all taking the time to learn and prepare such unique dances and songs. The youngest members of my extended family even re-enacted my and Luke's relationship through dance!

For events other than your ceremony, please tell us as much as you would like about the decor, style, dances, and all the special details.
Elite Party Decor went above and beyond for decorating for our events. I wanted our sangeet to be all-out colorful, complete with a multi-color dance floor, colored draping, bright food stations, and canopied henna stations. Our wedding ceremonies had a pastel pink and green theme to complement the beautiful indoor and outdoor ceremonies. Our vendor Chachi's Chai Cart even matched their cart to our theme!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
@hennadbyShereen was able to make a complex mehendi design for me that incorporated both the St. Louis and Chicago skylines (where we are both from). It was one of my favorite details about the wedding. Guests raved about the cake from DeEtta's Bakery.

This wedding was such a pleasure to see. I enjoyed every minute of it! See you tomorrow, ladies.