Preethi & Shawn | Dempsey Event Center Wedding

While weddings are beautiful for many reasons, one aspect I’m particularly drawn to is the blending of two people’s unique stories, families, and traditions, and Preethi and Shawn’s wedding at the Dempsey Event Center was a wonderful example of the beauty of this syncretism. Preethi and Shawn come from two very different cultural traditions – Preethi’s family is from India, while Shawn’s family is from Ohio. And while for some diversity is seen as an impediment – something that creates distance between people – Preethi and Shawn recognized the beauty of each other’s uniqueness in one another. While they didn’t start dating immediately, they began their relationship during their freshman year at OSU. Fast forward roughly 5 years later, they’ve now taken their first steps as a married couple.

Preethi and Shawn chose to get married at the Dempsey Event Center, a stunning estate located roughly 30 minutes north of Columbus. In deciding how to plan their wedding, they quickly concluded that they wanted to pay respect to each of their cultural traditions. Rather than trying to blend everything into one ceremony, they chose to host two separate wedding celebrations: one honoring Shawn’s traditions here in Ohio and one honoring Preethi’s traditions in India.

The day was an absolute joy. Preethi looked stunning in her dress, and both she and Shawn radiated with love and excitement. You could tell that they both were soaking up everything the day had in store. As Preethi showed off her dress to her bridesmaids, she choked back tears of joy as the significance of the moment started to really hit her. For his part, I don’t think Shawn stopped beaming from the moment I checked in with him until long after the ceremony had finished. And it was clear that both Preethi and Shawn’s families soaked in the opportunity to celebrate their two families coming together.

I also need to shout out the wonderful vendor team who made the day a reality. Weddings are complicated events, and it takes a dedicated team working together to bring it all to life. I want to specifically shout out Lisa at the Dempsey and Kelly at Events by KC for ensuring that everyone was on the same page throughout the day and that everything was prepared each step of the way.

Please see a full list of the amazing vendor team below:

• Photography: Brad Gillespie Photography
  • Instagram: @bradgillespiephotography
  • https://bradgillespiephotography.com/
• Videography: Toast Weddings
  • Instagram: @toastweddings
  • https://www.toastweddings.com/ourfilms
• Venue: The Dempsey Event Center
  • https://www.dempseyevents.com/
  • Instagram: @dempseyeventcenter
• Planner: Events by KC
  • eventsbykcdelaware@gmail.com
• Catering: Brassica

All in all, it was an absolute pleasure to get to memorialize the love and commitment Preethi and Shawn demonstrated for one another. Please enjoy their gallery below, and if you’re in the process of searching for a photographer for your own wedding, I’d love to connect with you! You can set up a time for us to chat here 🙂