The celebrations for Shiv’s 2nd birthday were so great that I hardly know where to begin!
I do know where to begin, actually: the mundan ceremony.
Don’t know what a mundan ceremony is? That’s okay. Neither did I before I was invited to photograph Shiv’s. Shiv’s parents, Nishta and Jill, were kind of enough to send the invited guests a little card with an explanation of what the ceremony involves and what it signifies. Here’s what it said:
“The mundan is an ancient Hindu sacrament marking a child’s first haircut. During the ceremony, the child’s head is shaved to bestow a long life and a prosperous future. As with all Hindu rites, a sacred fire, or havan, is built to invoke the presence and blessing of the divine.
Our family view Shiv’s mundan ceremony as an opportunity to honor the Indian heritage that constitutes part of his multifaceted identity. We also hope this occasion will be a way to bring together many different parts of Shiv’s extended family, to celebrate with you and thank each of you for your love, support, and guidance in our lives.”
The home where Shiv’s mundan took place was GORGEOUS
Meet Shiv – the man of the hour! With his Nani (Nistha’s mother)
Shiv with his mothers, Jill and Nistha (his Gigi and his Mama)
Aunt “Coco” (Courtney) with Shiv, Gigi, and Mama
Shiv, clutching his mama’s sari – the sari Nishta’s mom had worn at Nishta’s mundan as a child!
Sweetest face!
It is traditional to remove your shoes when entering an Indian home
The priest, preparing for the ceremony
Shiv, having a look at the set-up for this very special ceremony
Time for Uncle Sacha to have the honor of performing the haircut. The priest hands over the scissors.
Snipping locks from Shiv’s hair
Only a little of Shiv’s hair was cut in the room where the ceremony took place, as he was taken into the bathroom to properly finish the haircut with clippers. Then he was bathed, as another step of the ceremony dictated. Since electric clippers would be a new experience for Shiv, his mothers wisely had his beloved Uncle Sacha come over and buzz his own hair with the clippers a few days before the mundan, so Shiv would hopefully be more at ease with having his hair shaved.
Shiv looks at the tufts of his hair as they fall to the counter. This was his first haircut, after all.
Shiv didn’t even flinch when Uncle Sacha began buzzing his hair. He was very well behaved!
GiGi and Mama lovingly hold Shiv during this process
All those little curls!
Guests were serenaded
A little boy with a fresh haircut and freshly bathed had a change of clothes and returns for the rest of the ceremony
Guests participate in the blessing of Shiv
A reading by Shiv’s Uncle Dave. He read from R.M. Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet”
Aunt Coco read a poem by Rumi
Kate led those in attendance in call-and-response blessings for Shiv
Some of the items used in the mundan
Centerpiece on one of the tables where the guests had lunch after the ceremony
the littlest mundan ceremony guest (and such a cutie!)
Guests, enjoying some good Indian food and wonderful fellowship after the mundan
Shiv and the other young men, playing around the back yard after lunch
Coming up next: Part Two of Shiv’s birthday weekend festivities!
The man of the hour, Shiv, is the little one dressed in white there on the right
Shiv: future baby Gap model 
rhubarb lemon bundt cake
tower of mini lemon and vanilla cupcakes
mini Pucker Up (lemon) cake as the “wedding cake” – glitter heart!
yummy cherry heart cookies
♥baby strawberry balsamic pies♥
Chocolate chess pie
lemon thyme butter cookies
Charming hand-written signs by the bride herself
thumbprint cookies
peach pie
Even the little ones had pretty little drinks to sip on!
Wedding cake!
You can take the girl out of the bakery, but you can’t take the bakery out of the girl – Kat, slicing up desserts for wedding guests
Some of the beautiful floral arrangements at the reception
*dance break for a little peppermint ice cream*
Lil Oscar had to take a disco nap
I thought the yellow rain boots were such an iconic part of Kat’s wedding weekend attire, that ending on a shot of her boots filled with giant pink flowers was quite appropriate
Oh, my bride that day arrived in yellow rain boots, with her “eat cake for breakfast” tote. I like where this is going.
And a pink wedding dress? Yep. Kat was 100% “herself” as a bride!
Kat and her sweet mom, Jan. Love this mother of the bride!
Kat, helping attach her soon-to-be husband’s boutonniere
Thomas’s brother Andrew and his wife Allie, trying to get his boutonniere pinned on
The wedding took place as part of the normal Sunday morning service at St. John’s 
Thomas’s mom, Nancy, having her corsage tied on
Chatting with the nieces and nephews before the service
Thomas, Nancy, and his brother Andrew
Groom and mother of the groom
Tommy and Thomas, father and son
Kat with her bridesmaids, Lessie and Whitney
😀
Bride and father of the bride
Happy, happy couple
L♥VE
Thomas’s sister Ginny helps wrangle the kids to have their photos taken with their aunt and uncle
So. Cute.
And this is probably why one of their nephews had asked his mom the night before if Kat and Thomas are adults! “Oh. I didn’t know that” was his response when his mother said that Kat and Thomas are, in fact, adults. They have as much fun as the kids do!
Nieces and nephews, all gussied up
Mother of the bride and bride
Much love
Jan, Kat, and Aunt Bev
Kat and her grandfather. How precious is this??
These three Gordons…
Kip, Kat, and Preston (her “big, little bros”)
Gordon siblings and spouses: Tina, Kip, Thomas, Kat, Preston, Elizabeth – all the Gordon siblings have gotten married in under two years’ time!
Tommy, Thomas, and Page
Jim, Nancy, Thomas, and Petra
Wake, Kat, and Lia
Thomas’s side of the family – siblings, spouses, and kids
People begin gathering for the church service/wedding ceremony
A few moments from the ceremony
