Roshan & Sweta | August 30, 2025 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Wedding planning often feels like a whirlwind of checklists, spreadsheets, and logistics. Timelines, seating charts, and endless vendor emails can easily make the process feel more like project management than romance.

Roshan and Sweta’s wedding showed us something different.

Their celebration on August 30, 2025 at the Veterans Memorial Building was not just beautifully planned. It was intentionally told. Every moment, from the music to the dances to how guests experienced the night, felt like a chapter in their story.

For couples planning South Asian, Indian, or fusion weddings, this day was a reminder that when culture, intention, and storytelling come together, the result is unforgettable.

1. Their Playlist Became Their Biography

For Roshan and Sweta, music was never background noise. It was the foundation of their story.

Their first dance centered on “Head & Heart,” a song Roshan had shared with Sweta early in their relationship, long before they ever said “I love you.” On their wedding day, the moment unfolded exactly as planned. They entered the reception to a high-energy version of the song that filled the room with excitement, then transitioned seamlessly into a softer acoustic version for their first dance.

The room felt electric, yet deeply intimate.

As Sweta shared during planning, “Early in our relationship, before we’d even said “I love you”, Roshan played me Head and Heart as a way of expressing how strongly we were starting to feel about each other. He introduced me to an acoustic cover by a female artist, which instantly clicked for both of us since the song reflected the warmth and comfort we felt with each other We realized it was our song one night when we were out with friends and this song came on. We locked eyes, stepped away from the group, and shared the first dance of our relationship. When we started planning the wedding, there was no question that this would be our first dance song.”

The storytelling continued through Sweta’s choreographed performance, one of the most emotional highlights of the night. The dance unfolded in meaningful chapters. She first danced with the girls she grew up teaching and dancing alongside. She then honored her college roommates. Next came a performance with their medical school friends, set to Roshan’s favorite Telugu song from Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, a movie they watched on their first date. The performance ended with her cousins in a Gujarati-style dance she learned specifically to honor Roshan’s culture.

It was not just a dance. It was her life, her roots, and their future told through movement.

2. Their Guests Did Not Just Attend. They Contributed.

Instead of treating guests as spectators, Roshan and Sweta made them part of the story.

During cocktail hour, a slideshow played on the screen. It was not a typical engagement photo reel. Ahead of the wedding, the couple asked guests to submit marriage advice with their RSVPs. Those quotes, some heartfelt and some hilarious, were paired with engagement photos and shared throughout the evening.

The laughter in the room said it all.

The dance floor followed the same philosophy. Guests were invited to submit song requests, and many took it seriously. Roshan and Sweta carefully reviewed every submission and created pre-approved playlists with more than seventy songs. The result was a packed dance floor filled with guests hearing music they genuinely loved.

For South Asian weddings especially, where community is everything, this kind of involvement changes the entire energy of the night.

Photo Credit: Olivia Katherine Photography

3. The Energy of the Room Was Designed With Intention

Nothing about this reception was left to chance.

Roshan and Sweta were thoughtful about how the night flowed emotionally. Instead of grouping all speeches together, they intentionally spaced them out to keep the room engaged. The evening moved from the couple’s first dance to parent speeches, then into parent dances, sibling speeches, and finally group dance performances.

Each moment built on the one before it.

Even the buffet became a meaningful experience. Rather than dismissing tables by number, Roshan and Sweta personally visited each table for photos before inviting guests to grab food. What could have been a pause in the night turned into dozens of personal interactions.

This level of planning goes beyond logistics. It creates connection.

4. Culture Was Lived, Not Just Displayed

This wedding was a beautiful blend of cultures. Sweta is Telugu and Malayali, while Roshan is Gujarati. Instead of using culture as a visual theme, they expressed it through action, participation, and performance.

Sweta’s decision to learn a Gujarati dance to honor Roshan, after celebrating her own South Indian roots through Telugu and Malayalam music, became one of the most powerful moments of the night. It was not symbolic. It was heartfelt and intentional.

The music throughout the reception reflected that same mindset. Telugu, Hindi, and American songs were woven together naturally, making sure every guest felt represented and welcomed on the dance floor.

This is what modern Indian and fusion weddings do best when done with care. They allow cultures to coexist, evolve, and celebrate together.

A Wedding That Was About More Than One Day

Roshan and Sweta’s wedding was not just executed beautifully. It was authored with intention.

From sharing the meaning behind their music choices to making sure every guest felt included, every detail mattered. Their wedding was not about checking boxes. It was about telling a story.

For couples planning Indian, South Asian, or multicultural weddings, let this be a reminder that your wedding can reflect who you are, where you come from, and the life you are building together.

And for us, it was an absolute honor to help bring that story to life.

VENDORS:

Venue: Veterans Memorial Building

Coordinator/Rental: Bala

Host/DJ: DJ Clife

Photographer: Olivia Katherine Photography

Videographer: Vinod

Lunch Caterer: Paradise Indian Grill

Dinner Caterer: Taj Majal