Pankti Doshi, 33, a genetic counselor, and Avish Jain, 30, an endocrinologist and singer, held a series of wedding events from 21-25/4.
Doshi, who previously worked in Los Angeles, Chicago, London, and Singapore, settled in New York in 2020 to establish an event planning company, making the city her chosen wedding venue. She is also known as a co-founder of Masala Mixtape, the city's largest South Asian music festival.
Jain, 30, grew up in Red Bank, New Jersey. He is a Bollywood singer and dancer, frequently performing with leading industry stars. He is also an endocrinologist soon to graduate from Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
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The bride and groom (wearing glasses, center) animated the wedding atmosphere on the street. Photo: New York Post
The couple met in November 2023 through work. Their wedding events began at Somewhere Nowhere NYC, where 150 guests enjoyed dance performances choreographed by the bride and groom, experienced henna art, and savored Asian cuisine.
The following day, events took place at Rockefeller Center. The couple performed the Haldi turmeric paste ritual and danced traditional Garba and Dandiya. On the third day, a traditional Sangeet ceremony was staged as a musical at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center Theater.
On 24/4, Doshi wore a turquoise silk lehenga. She and the groom boarded a 16-meter long vehicle for the South Asian baraat procession.
Having secured a permit from the New York Police Department (NYPD), the couple closed a section of Fifth Avenue. The lively procession, featuring 400 guests, dhol drummers, and the groom's singing, drew many Manhattan residents who stopped to cheer and dance along. The festive street atmosphere brought the entire road to a standstill.
The wedding atmosphere of Doshi and Jain. Video: New York Post
The official wedding ceremony took place on the rooftop space of Radio City Music Hall. The bride's mother presented her with the red sari she wore for her 25th wedding anniversary. A Jain nun officiated the ceremony, conducting it in English, Sanskrit, Gujarati, and Hindi.
"When you spend six months on a project, it's not just a wedding. It's our love letter to Manhattan and a cultural movement," Doshi stated.
Closing public spaces in New York for private events requires expensive permits. Last year, another Indian-origin couple spent tens of thousands of USD to block a section of Wall Street for their baraat.
Videos of Doshi and Jain's wedding are currently sparking debate on US social media. While half of the comments praise the cultural fusion, the other half criticize using money to close public spaces, causing traffic disruption on one of the world's busiest streets.
