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Courtship: When Sheela Raikar and Vikas Mahendra started chatting on Match.com in November of 2015, neither of them had high hopes. They’d each been on the site for a while by that point and hadn’t found “the one”—but that didn’t stop them from planning a first date at Delia’s Cafe in Oak Park, Illinois. In person, Sheela and Vikas instantly connected and continued talking long after their plates had been cleared from the table. “The waitress kept coming over to check on us and refill our coffees,” Sheela says, “and it was clear she was like, ‘Are these people ever going to leave?’”
A pediatric gastroenterologist, Sheela had just taken one of her board exams the week before. “That was a big deal, and Vikas knew that,” she says. “The way he was asking about it just seemed like he really cared, which was impressive for someone I’d just met.” As their conversation progressed, they talked about their families and bonded over their shared Indian heritage. Just five minutes after they finally parted ways, Sheela texted Vikas about getting together again soon. And over the next two weeks, they went on four more dates, growing practically inseparable.
Proposal: About 10 months later, Sheela and Vikas planned a two-week-long trip to South Africa, including a five-day safari in Kruger National Park. There, they stayed in a lodge and each day took two group sightseeing tours in a Jeep through the forests and grassy plains of the park. On their third day, they were relaxing in their room around noon when the phone rang. “I thought it was weird since we still had a couple hours until the afternoon tour,” Sheela says, “but afterward, Vikas told me it was Gus, our tour guide, and that there’d been a special animal sighting that we needed to go see right then.”
When they arrived at the Jeep, though, none of the other couples were there. Although Vikas made excuses for them—telling Sheela that one couple was at the spa and another had already seen this animal—when they rounded the corner, Sheela suspected something was up. A private wooden deck boasted a table for two set up with food and champagne, and just beside it was a chalkboard listing both their names with a heart drawn in between. Gus took pictures as Vikas kneeled and proposed. The newly engaged couple then shared a private lunch in the park.
Ceremony & Reception: Sheela and Vikas were married June 17, 2017 with an Indian wedding ceremony and reception at the Hilton Frontenac. Prior to the big day, both bride and groom were decorated in mehendi, an ancient Indian body art similar to henna. (One of Vikas’s tattoos featured a “V” and “S” with a heart drawn in between—a design also engraved on Sheela’s ring.) In keeping with tradition, the ceremony began with Vikas riding a white horse around the hotel—the groom’s procession, or baraat—followed by Sheela’s grand entrance among the petals strewn by her three flower girls.
For the reception, Sheela donned a traditional Indian lehenga and joined her tux-clad groom before walking in to none other than the Chicago Cubs’ song—that is, with the lyrics modified for the occasion by a close friend. The ballroom was filled with rich blue and gold tones, and tables were decorated with long, clear vases filled with flowers and candles. Before leaving, guests were treated to traditional two-ounce Indian spice jars filled with gold and dark blue M&Ms.
The Details:
Venue: Hilton St. Louis Frontenac Hotel
Photography: Carretto Studio
Wedding planner/coordinator: Fatima Dalal
Catering: Mayuri
Cake: Sarahs' Cake Shop
DJ: Karan Pujji
Hair & makeup: DanielleStyle
Videography: Sweet Tea Films
Lehenga: Sahil Exclusive (Chicago)
Tux: Men's Wearhouse
Baraat horse: St. Louis Carriage Company
