Friday, May 28, 2010

May 21 - A and Rs Wedding at Silver Creek Country Club - San Jose


We went to a gorgeous Hindi wedding today. I won't go into great detail on the wedding ceremony as I could never do it justice. They wrote up fantastic precis for us which was waiting for us on the seats with a little pack of nuts (more on that later).
The 'Full' Ceremony takes several hours up to a full day hence the snacks on the seats.  But that is not what A and R opted for. Whilst it was as true to the classic wedding as it could be outside India, they opted for what the celebrant called an 'abbreviated' version which lasted an hour. The classic full day ceremony is something to see for as much the ceremony itself as the guests who are accustomed to attending them regularly. The wedding goes on up in front whilst the guests mill about, talk and go about their business paying little attention to the elaborate religious event binding the couple together and exchanging symbolic gestures of respect to their gods, family and each other. So even though it was only an hour long, this activity went on and was accomodated by A and R. They had a Tea and Juice Station for people to gather around. They did keep the tradition of the Groom's party and family dancing and celebrating from their 'village'(Country Club Lobby) to the Bride's Family village (Outdoor Wedding Pavillion outside the Country Club) though A did not ride the customary horse. We were encouraged by A's elderly aunts to dance more the whole walk. It was fantastic.
The celebrant was something else. I wonder if it was what A and R were expecting. From the perspective of a non-Hindu guest, he was captivating. He wore white slacks, a bright yellow linen shirt and scarf. His hair was like Krusty the Clown but he was a hundred times funnier. He MC'd the ceremony in English whilst performing it in Sanskrit. He explained the actions and the stages with alot of humour and prompts for photos.

The male friend's of A were given Kurta to wear for the ceremony and the bride's girlfriends were given Sari. It was beautiful. Many of the guests changed into western clothing for the reception and the couple changed as well. The reception was more western but the cuisine was not. It was AMAZING, ALL VEGAN. The cocktail had vegan indian inspired

We started with a Salad of Mixed Greens garnished with Organic Dried Fruits and Hibiscus tossed in a Ginger Dressing.
The mains came to the table family style in large serving bowls.  Anaheim Mirchi - Anaheim and Yellow Peppers stuffed with fresh Coconut, Peanut and Tamarind mixture
  • Daal Saag - Moong and Chana Dhal combinaton cooked with fresh Organic Spinach and delicately spiced with Cumin and Mustard Seeds
  • Kadahi Paneer - Indian fresh Cheese, Bell Peppers, Onions, roasted Cilantro Seeds in a rich Tomato Curry
  • Tindora with lightly fried Cashews - Thin slices of lightly spiced Ivy Gourd sauteed with Cashews.
  • Cucumber Raita or Pachadi - fresh Yogurt relish with chopped Tomatoes and Cucumbers
  • Jeera Rice - Basmati Rice flavoured with Cumin Seeds
  • Whole Wheat Paratha - Soft, hand rolled Whole Wheat Flatbread
  • Achaar - Mango, Lime and Chilies pickled with hot Spices

Dessert were a variety of mini cupcakes. 

The favourite at our table by far was the Kadahi Paneer.  We tried to ask for more but they were done and we were sad to see other tables being cleared with full bowls of the wonderfully rich Paneer dish.  The food was amazing and incredibly fresh.  The Achaar was on the set table so a few of us tried it out as we listened to speeches.  It was very spicy and a perfect side.  The Dried Hibiscus was a surprise.  I had first thought it was a dried apricote or plum.  It was very cool. Tart like a Cranberry and as chewy.  Really could have eaten the Paneer and the Dhal all night.

It was a wonderful event and I felt very fortunate to have been included in such a special day and event.  The detail and respect paid to their culture was very moving.  The couple was glowing all night.  I was very happy that such a lovely pair had such a perfect day.

Yay!

I cannot give the credit of the food to the Golf Club though.  I can only assume that they had to bring in an outside caterer for the specialty menu.  And the table cards and decorations all looked handmade so I image that A and R did alot of this themselves.  The location setting was spectacular; made for this wedding .  The grounds near the waterfall was ideal for the outdoor ceremony and the dining hall had a view worth the whole investment.  The dinner service-folks were okay.  The valets were very courteous and prompt.

Silver Creek Valley Country Club
5460 Country Club Pkwy
San Jose, CA 95138
(408) 239-5888
www.scvcc.com

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