Medha laughs as she holds up Stefan's leg in its medical boot on the dance floor at The Bangalore Club

Medha & StefanSangeet and reception at The Bangalore Club

This evening at The Bangalore Club was the sangeet and the reception in one. Stefan had hurt his ankle a few days earlier. He danced in a medical boot anyway.

There were performances from Stefan and his friends, from Medha's parents, and from the sisters on both sides, to Bollywood songs and a few English ones. Medha's family is from Mumbai. Stefan is from Germany. The wedding ceremony was at the Art of Living ashram, where Sri Sri Ravi Shankar blessed the couple.

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On the dance floor

Bollywood songs, a few English ones, and a groom in a medical boot.

Medha laughs mid dance in her cream lehenga, henna on her hands, friends moving around her

In black and white, a woman in a full lehenga twirls while a man in a suit sits close by

Medha with henna on her hands and Stefan in navy clap along from their seats during the performances

In black and white, a group dances with arms flung up in front of a curtain of lights

Four women in red, orange and pale blue lehengas dance across the dark wooden floor

A line of dancers in saris, lehengas and kurtas performs in step across the wooden floor

Guests clap and cheer along as a woman in a teal outfit smiles at the front

In black and white, friends dance on the stage with arms flung wide, one leaning far to the side

Medha laughs with her hands up, her mehendi showing, as Stefan sits next to her in the front row

A man in a red kurta points with both arms outstretched while another guest points back

In black and white, a man laughs with one leg lifted mid dance as friends move around him

Men in red, yellow and teal kurtas strike a wide legged pose mid routine

A man in a red kurta and a woman in a maroon skirt dance together with one arm out

Women in teal, blue and yellow lehengas dance side by side with a man in sunglasses behind them

Stefan in navy dances with a man in a red sherwani, hands joined, as women in pink dance behind

A woman in a teal gown spins and sweeps her arm out across the dance floor

Two women in a maroon top and a yellow top raise their arms and laugh as they dance

In black and white, Medha throws her henna covered hands to her face with a laugh

Guests in teal and blue stand at the edge of the floor as a man in a waistcoat dances

In black and white, a row of men in patterned sherwanis dance in unison

A man in a dark suit and a woman in a blue kurta dance together beside the blue railing

In black and white, a man in a grey jacket drops to the floor mid dance as others crouch

A woman in a blue crop top blows a kiss while two others dance beside a man in sunglasses

A man in a navy sherwani and sunglasses mouths the lyrics mid dance

Stefan in navy and Medha in cream dance close together as the medical boot on his ankle shows

In black and white, a man in a tuxedo and a woman in a sparkling kurta dance side by side

Medha smiles to the side beside Stefan on the open dance floor with the blue balustrade and fairy lights behind

Women in pink, green and cream lehengas dance in a row with their arms up

A long exposure turns Medha and the dancers into streaks of colour and light

In black and white, a man in sunglasses strikes a pose and two women dance beside him

Medha smiles to the camera with hands raised in a clap, her mehendi bright in the frame

Medha dances in a blur with her hands out, a smear of colour from other dancers all around her

A woman in a green and orange lehenga saree dances alone with a smile

A woman in a cream sari and a blue blouse spins on the dance floor

Women in green and gold dress saris dance across the floor

Stefan in his navy sherwani dances with Medha, who points an arm to the sky

In black and white, a man in a patterned jacket dances hard with a raised fist

Stefan in a navy sherwani dances mid step with a medical boot on his ankle

Medha throws both hands in the air in her cream lehenga with henna on her arms and a wide smile

Three men in a pink waistcoat, a navy suit and a teal kurta stand grinning on the floor

Guests crowd the edge of the dance floor lifting their phones to film

A woman in a coral lehenga dances with her arms in front while others dance in pale dresses

A group of men in sherwanis and kurtas crouch and fall to the floor laughing while women dance behind them

Medha dances between two of her sisters in pink and red lehengas on the dark wooden floor

Medha in her cream lehenga dances forward with a smile as Stefan moves behind her

In black and white, a woman in a cream lehenga throws both arms up high

A woman in a hot pink lehenga and a woman in lilac sequins dance together by the blue railing

A woman in a pink lehenga lifts one arm mid dance with the blue railing behind her

Guests dance in a crush, with Medha in the middle in her cream lehenga and Stefan nearby

Stefan in navy raises his hands as Medha, with hennaed arms in the air, dances next to him

Stefan dances solo in a navy sherwani with his arms out and a medical boot on one leg

Medha in a cream lehenga sings or sways with her arm stretched out near the blue railing

Medha with a hair ornament dances toward Stefan in his navy sherwani, both focused on each other

Stefan and other men in shirts and kurtas dance on the floor as lights glow behind them

A crowd of guests in saris, suits and kurtas dances across a wide wooden floor

A man in a maroon kurta and a woman in a maroon dress dance while others in navy gather around

Stefan and Medha hold hands with a woman in a bright blue kurta as the three dance together

In black and white, two women in saris dance with their arms raised high

In black and white, a couple of guests dance close with their heads together

Motion blur streaks across the floor as women laugh and dance with henna hands raised

A woman in a magenta dress dances with a man in glasses and a navy sherwani behind her

In black and white, a woman in a halter dress dances with an arm overhead beside another woman laughing

In black and white, a man in a waistcoat and a woman in dark dress laugh while dancing

Stefan's sister dances in a bright red and orange sari on the stage, arms held wide

In black and white, two women in sparkling lehengas laugh together with open mouths

In black and white, Medha claps beside Stefan while the crowd presses in around them

In black and white, two men in kurtas dance with raised hands as guests crowd close behind

A bearded man in a gold kurta dances with one arm up and sunglasses hooked on his collar

A woman in a red lehenga and a woman in a green sari laugh and dance together

In black and white, a man in a jacket and a blonde woman share a dancing moment up close

In black and white, a woman spins in a swirling lehenga beside a man dancing in a dark kurta

A woman in a red and gold lehenga twirls and looks over her shoulder

A man in a red kurta and sunglasses dances between two women in pale outfits

In black and white, Medha cheers and raises her hands as a crowd claps around her

A row of guests in lehengas and kurtas dances along the terrace while a photographer's hand shows in the corner

A woman in a green blouse and a woman in a violet sari laugh and dance

Women in a teal gown, a cream outfit and a dark dress dance with hands raised

Stefan and Medha dance among a tightly packed crowd in navy and cream

Stefan raises one arm and dances in a navy sherwani as friends swirl around him

Stefan smiles and shimmies in a motion streaked frame beside a woman in a yellow sleeve

A slow shutter blurs Medha and her sisters dancing in pink and cream as lights streak behind them

A woman in a white lehenga dances with a smile among guests under strings of lights

A woman in a cream dress dances with a man in a pale blue shirt

Three women in cream, blue and gold lehengas dance side by side

A woman in a pale yellow suit dances with a big smile and her hands cupped

A man in a pale kurta and a navy shawl dances mid laugh with arms lowered

A woman in a pink lehenga laughs and dances with a woman in a cream outfit

A woman in a white lehenga dances alone with her hand lifted

Two women in a pastel lehenga and a red lehenga dance together

A man in a white shirt and a woman in a dusty pink dress dance together

A motion blur wraps around a woman in a pink lehenga laughing as lights streak behind her

In black and white, a woman in a dark dress laughs among dancing guests with arms in the air

A woman in a red dress points with an upraised hand while others dance around her

A woman in a pink and gold lehenga dances with an arm stretched wide and a big grin

Medha dances in the middle of a crowded floor with women around her in saris and lehengas

A bald man in a white shirt and a woman in a red sari dance side by side

In black and white, a woman in a light lehenga dances with her hand to her face among a crowd

In black and white, women in dark tops and light lehengas cheer and dance together

In black and white, a blonde man in a waistcoat dances with a hand raised

A woman in a navy sari dances with a blonde woman in a green dress, both laughing

In black and white, women in lehengas dance and laugh near a bright light

A woman in an orange dupatta and a woman in a patterned sari dance beside each other

Three women in green, red and pink lehengas dance with arms raised

In black and white, Medha in a lehenga sings or points with one arm raised in front of the dancers

Stefan in navy dances with Medha in cream while a medical boot shows on his lower leg

A man in a navy suit smiles as a woman in a pink saree pats his cheek

In black and white, Medha with a flower in her hair dances with hennaed hands near her face

Women in glasses and green and blue outfits dance and smile together

In black and white, a man in a waistcoat and women in lehengas dance in a crowd

In black and white, men and women in shirts and dresses dance with their arms above their heads

Medha dances in front of Stefan in his navy sherwani with guests dancing around them

Medha strikes a pose, hand on hip, while Stefan stands with arms crossed and a crowd watches behind them

A man in a gold kurta turns away as a woman in a white lehenga dances with her hair swinging

Women in pink and red lehengas dance with big smiles among the crowd

Guests dance in red, pink and green as Stefan appears small at the back

A woman in a bright blue kurta stands still in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by dancers

Guests in pastel, green and navy outfits dance in a loose circle

A woman in a pink blouse and others in lilac and cream dance closely with open mouths

In black and white, a woman in a pale dress flings her hair as she dances

Medha dances beside Stefan, hands clasped in front of her, with guests behind them

In black and white, Medha raises her arms while Stefan dances in a patterned sherwani next to her

In black and white, a woman stands on the stage with her back to the camera facing the lights

In black and white, a man in a dark suit stands calmly among guests holding up a phone

Dancers in lehengas and a man in dark sunglasses pose with hands on hips on the dark floor

In black and white, a blonde woman in a white romper hugs Medha as others dance behind them

In black and white, guests sit low and clap around a woman in a dark dress dancing at the centre

The performances

Stefan and his friends performed, then Medha's parents, then the sisters on both sides. Medha was so happy watching her parents dance that she jumped in. That was not planned.

Medha jumps in to dance with her parents during their performance, unplanned

Medha smiles and laughs holding a microphone in a cream lehenga

In black and white, two women in lehengas laugh out loud with their hands together

In black and white, women laugh and dance close to the camera while a man looks on

Guests clap and smile beside a woman in a bright blue kurta at the start of the evening

Two women laugh together beside a woman in a blue crop top in the glow of the party lights

Medha leans in to talk with a grey haired woman in an orange scarf while fairy lights glitter behind

In black and white, Medha leans back with a microphone beside a kneeling man in a dark kurta

Stefan sits in a navy sherwani holding a microphone while Medha stands smiling beside him and friends look on

Stefan sits sideways on a gold chair with his leg propped on another, a medical boot on his ankle

Medha holds a framed board as a man in a pale blue shirt and seated Stefan in navy laugh together

Medha in a cream lehenga with henna on her hands smiles past a man in a gold jacket

In black and white, Medha laughs and turns to greet a woman as the party fills up behind her

A woman in a patterned jacket and a woman in a red crop top smile together close to the lens

In black and white, four women in lehengas and a sparkling top laugh together with their arms around each other

In black and white, a huddle of men in kurtas lean in together under strings of lights

A woman in a blue top smiles broadly at a table with a drink near her hand

Two women in pink and red lehengas look up and laugh on the terrace with the blue railing behind them

A woman in a red embroidered lehenga holds a microphone and sings along with an open mouth

Three women, including one in a red floral top, clap and smile as they watch

A woman in a bright blue kurta sits at a table while a man in a navy shirt claps nearby

Women in lehengas and saris crowd together, one holding up a phone, under strings of lights

An older man in a black waistcoat holds a glass and talks as fairy lights bokeh behind him

Two women in pink lehengas stand on the dance floor with the lights strung above them

Medha and Stefan pose hand in hand on the stage, flower arrangements and lights behind them

Medha and Stefan walk down the long colonial club hall toward the camera under glowing chandeliers

Two women in red and pink lehengas pose for the camera at night with lights behind

A man in a dark suit stands next to a woman in a violet kurta with the club lit behind

Medha, Stefan and their families

Medha reaches up to hold Stefan's face and laughs while he smiles, a brown curtain behind them

Medha adjusts the lapel of Stefan's sherwani on a quiet path beside the club

Stefan smiles as he adjusts his navy sherwani cuffs, a canopy of lights glowing behind him

In black and white, a woman in a sparkling dress is dipped backward by a man before the backdrop

A tall man in a tan suit leans down to kiss the cheek of a woman in a pink pantsuit

Stefan and Medha pose in front of wood panelling, and a medical boot is visible on Stefan's ankle

Stefan in a navy sherwani and Medha in cream stand side by side, hands clasped, in front of curtains

In black and white, Medha laughs up at Stefan, who looks down at her, against dark curtains

In black and white, Stefan and Medha walk across a tiled floor, his medical boot showing

Against a deep red wall, Stefan stands as a dark shape behind Medha, who gazes aside

Stefan raises a hand as Medha twirls in her cream lehenga, her dupatta flaring across the wooden floor

Medha looks down with a quiet smile, her hennaed hands folded in front of her cream lehenga

Medha gazes aside with a soft smile in a gold tikka and a crystal necklace, red glow behind

Medha glances back over her shoulder with a smile in front of rust coloured curtains

In black and white, Medha smiles broadly at Stefan, who stands with his back to the camera

Medha looks to one side with a bright smile while Stefan stands behind her as a dark outline against red

Medha laughs openly with her head turned, hair falling over a pale dupatta against rust curtains

Stefan grins widely at the camera in a navy sherwani sparkling with small sequins

Stefan and Medha stand beside an illustrated welcome sign under a flower arch at a doorway

Stefan's sister turns and smiles over her shoulder in a red lehenga against warm glowing lights

Medha in a cream lehenga and Stefan in a navy sherwani stand in front of a curtain of hanging lights

Stefan's parents stand either side of a smiling woman in a patterned lehenga in front of the light curtain

Stefan, a woman in a bright blue kurta and Medha pose together in front of green leaves

Blue and magenta light turns Stefan and Medha into silhouettes as they lean in close

In black and white, Stefan gives a thumbs up beside a smiling older woman and Medha

Three women in red, blue and pink outfits pose with hands on hips in front of a hedge

Stefan and Medha stand close together on the lawn with trees behind them

Stefan looks off to the side in his navy sherwani as Medha stands close behind him against dark drapes

Stefan's face is lit in deep red against a dark background

Medha smiles in front of a red sofa with a fine tikka and a gold necklace

Stefan sits relaxed in an armchair against a bright pink curtain, one ankle over his knee

Stefan stands with arms folded and a wide grin against a pink curtain

Seven friends in saturated lehengas and kurtas pose together on the dance floor

In black and white, friends throw their arms out in a playful pose in front of the strings of lights

Medha stands between two of her sisters in pink and red lehengas, all three grinning

Stefan in his navy sherwani stands with his sister, who wears a pink and orange lehenga

Stefan's parents pose arm in arm in front of a blue arched doorway at the club

Medha and Stefan stand in a row with family in front of the hanging lights backdrop

Both families line up on the stage: Medha's sisters and parents, Medha and Stefan, then Stefan's sister and parents

Family members stand and crouch in a row, some seated on the floor, in front of the lit backdrop

A woman in a navy dress and a man in a dark shirt pose close together before flowers and lights

Stefan's mother and his sister pose together in front of the glowing backdrop

A man in a blue shirt and a woman in a white romper pose in front of the lit backdrop

Three family members smile together in front of the hanging lights backdrop

Family members sit in rows on the stage and others stand behind them for a large group portrait

Stefan in a navy sherwani and a woman in a blue sari throw their arms wide before the lit backdrop

Medha stands in her cream lehenga beside heavy curtains, smiling softly past the camera

Medha stands alone against a cream panelled wall in her lehenga, her shadow falling beside her

Medha stands full length in her cream and gold lehenga, orange curtains falling behind her

Stefan stands with hands clasped in a navy sherwani against a glowing peach wall

In black and white, Stefan stands with hands clasped on a dark path, looking up and away

A row of friends in teal, gold and plum outfits pose in front of the glowing backdrop

A woman in a bright pink sari and a man in a dark waistcoat pose in front of the backdrop

In black and white, a man in a dark suit and a woman in a pale sari stand together

Stefan's grandparents stand together in front of the flower arrangements at The Bangalore Club

A woman in a turquoise lehenga and a man in a pale kurta and navy shawl pose arm in arm

Stefan's sister stands with her hands on her hips in a pink and orange lehenga

A woman in a floral jumpsuit stands for a portrait in front of the lit backdrop

A woman in a lilac sequined gown stands alone in front of the glowing backdrop

Before the evening

Medha laughs in a pink lehenga while a woman in a white shirt adjusts her dupatta

Medha in a gold embellished top looks away from the camera with a layered necklace catching the light

In black and white, Medha in a mirrored blouse stands by a dark curtain with a phone raised behind her

A close crop of a gold and crystal necklace on Medha's collarbone with a soft smile above it

A tight crop of Medha's smile, a drop earring and a layered gold necklace

Medha smiles straight at the camera in a tikka, chandelier earrings and a statement necklace

In black and white, Medha looks down in a mirror work blouse and a layered crystal necklace

The Bangalore Club

The Bangalore Club opened in 1868 as a club for British officers and is the oldest club in the city. It sits on Cariappa Road near Richmond Circle, in colonial buildings set across 11 acres. Medha and Stefan's evening moved between the wood panelled rooms and the open dance floor by the blue balustrade.

Setting up the evening

Low evening sun glows through trees behind the Bangalore Club gate and its Kannada signboard

The pale blue colonial clubhouse with white columns sits under big old rain trees in warm light

A cream embroidered lehenga hangs in a doorway with green foliage showing behind it

A navy sherwani with a scattered dot pattern hangs on a cream wall between two wall lamps

A white stage backed by gold hanging strands is set in a garden clearing between tall trees

Round tables and soft lights are set under tall trees in front of the blue and white club building

A bowl of red and cream roses sits in the foreground as strings of lights glow out of focus

A cone of fairy lights rises through a banyan tree above a blue railed dance floor

Henna covered hands and gold bangles rest on a cream lehenga embroidered with small mirrors

Medha and Stefan hold hands face to face on the dance floor with the club building glowing behind them

Venue: The Bangalore Club, Cariappa Road, Bangalore
Events: Sangeet and reception, after the wedding. The mehendi was the day before the wedding
Couple: Medha, whose family is from Mumbai, and Stefan, from Germany. They met in the UK, where both were doing higher studies
Wedding ceremony: Art of Living ashram, Bangalore, blessed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Photography: The Third Eye Photography, Bangalore

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