Perfect union

wedding: Perfect union

East and West came together for this multicultural Whistler wedding

by: BRIGITTE MAH

While all weddings are a blending of families and customs, Jordan McGovern and Harjas Panesar’s Whistler union on Sept. 24, 2021 was a true fusion of their distinct cultures.

“We come from different cultures and religions, so [Whistler] gave us a good neutral space,” said McGovern. “Harjas comes from a Sikh background, and they have very elaborate weddings with a thousand people, and it’s a five-day event. My family got married in churches and always had traditional Western weddings. We wanted to combine them in a way and in a space that was neutral.”

Whistler has always been a special place for Coquitlam-based pair because it was the destination of their first trip together as a young couple.

“We aren’t skiers or snowboarders,” said McGovern, “but we just love it there in the summer.”

Whistler was also where the couple got engaged. Panesar proposed in the bedroom of the Fairmont the year prior.

“We thought [Whistler] was a special place, and with COVID, we wanted to do a more intimate wedding so we didn’t have to keep postponing it,” McGovern said.

And while couples sometimes have to navigate tricky territory with fusion weddings, finding the balance between the two cultures and religions wasn’t difficult for McGovern and Panesar. On a boys’ weekend trip to Kelowna, Panesar tentatively floated the idea of getting married to his diverse set of friends. The response was overwhelming enthusiasm. “They were so excited,” Panesar said. “They went on Amazon right there in the hot tub and within 10 minutes they had ordered [traditional Sikh wedding outfits].”

“Everyone called them the Power Rangers because they picked different colours.”

To keep in line with COVID regulations, the couple had only 24 guests at their wedding. Although they chose not to have a traditional five-day Sikh wedding, they still held a Mehndi and Bakra evening the night before they left for Whistler. Panesar’s mother made a lamb curry roast for the men while the women had decorative henna applied to their hands. In Whistler, the night before the ceremony, the couple also hosted a Maiyan evening in the hotel, where turmeric paste was applied to Panesar and McGovern to cleanse and give their skin a glow.

“It’s a blessing from the families,” said Panesar. “There was turmeric everywhere.”

On the big day, McGovern wore a white wedding dress in the Western style, but added the traditional Sikh tikka headpiece and chura bangles, while Panesar wore a traditional Sikh sherwani, complete with turban, sword and slippers.

The turban almost didn’t make it to the ceremony, though. Panesar’s mother, who had packed the turban, couldn’t find it. Friends back in Coquitlam even broke into the house to look for it, offering to drive it immediately up to Whistler if it were found.

“She was panicking because she thought she had left it back in Vancouver, and it’s a vital part of my outfit,” said Panesar.

But at the last minute the material to make the turban was found safe in Panesar’s mother bag.

Panesar and McGovern tied the knot at the Stone Circle overlooking Alta Lake, before their reception back in the library room at the Nita Lake Lodge, which had

been decorated with gold elements to honour Sikh traditions, and white candles to reflect McGovern’s Boho style. Between the ceremony and the reception. they had a few moments to snap photos at the Alta Lake Station House.

“I was bawling my eyes out when I saw her walking toward me,” said Panesar. “It’s amazing how far you can come with a partner and how much you can accomplish when you’re together and you have someone by your side. I just love her so much.”

For Panesar and McGovern, their fusion wedding was exactly what they had envisioned to begin their journey as a married couple. It was the perfect union of two worlds, cultures, religions, styles—and most importantly: hearts.

photography:

Pascale Gadbois

My name is Pascale and I am the eye, the smile and the joie de vivre behind Gadbois Photography. I am a lover of life but more importantly a lover of love. I capture every kind of love because what I know to be true is that love is love. I believe that life flies by and my superpower is my ability to freeze a moment in time forever.

I am a storyteller.

GADBOISPHOTOGRAPHY.CA

vendors:

Photographer Gadbois Photography

Wedding Planner The Whistler Elopement Company

Videographer Calling Mountains

Celebrant Tracy Kerr

Hair and Makeup Kerry Waring

Flowers Senka Floral

Reception Venue

Nita Lake Lodge

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