Love in Bloom

By Lisa Arnett
December 2023 View more Better Together

A local couple found the perfect garden setting for their nuptials

When Elgin native Bill Weber met Napervillian Devika Roy through mutual friends back in 2016, he didn’t even have a passport. Once they started dating, however, it didn’t take long for Roy’s love for travel to rub off on him, and trips to Europe and Mexico followed. In 2021 while vacationing in Barcelona, Weber surprised Roy by popping the question on a sunset cruise on the last day of their trip.

When it came time to start wedding planning, they envisioned a celebration that combined their backgrounds. “I come from the Bengali culture, and Bill and I always wanted to incorporate both Western and the Indian cultures in our wedding,” Roy says. “My vision was pastels—I wanted the blue, white, and pink pastel vibe. We went to India and all looked at types of clothes that would work out with that color scheme.” Their May 2023 festivities kicked off with a haldi ceremony at the Roy family home in Naperville. “It’s like a blessing from the family,” Roy says. The next day, they hosted a sangeet at Ashyana Banquets & Events in Downers Grove. “This is the big party and traditional procession where you get all the fun dances and lots of performances and speeches,” Weber says. The couple performed an elaborate choreographed dance they had practiced for months. The next day, they gathered at Mesón Sabika in Naperville for their rehearsal dinner. “That included tapas, which is definitely our favorite food and a callback to [our engagement trip] in Barcelona,” Weber says.

Their wedding weekend culminated with a final day of celebration on May 28. They had booked the Morton Arboretum’s new Grand Garden two years prior, sight unseen. “We kept going there as the construction was going on, and they had a big fence around it, and we’d try to peek in,” Weber says. “When we met for our first look near the Grand Garden, it was really a perfect scene, and I saw my beautiful, stunning bride and held back tears,” Weber says. First, a priest performed their traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, followed by a Western ceremony officiated by Weber’s uncle. After, the couple changed out of their lehenga and sherwani into a floral embroidered gown and black tuxedo and celebrated with dinner and dancing in the Ginkgo Room, which overlooks the arboretum’s Meadow Lake. A highlight of the night was the bride’s unexpected dance with her father. “It was a mashup, so we had people thinking it was a slow dance to ‘Daughters’ by John Mayer, but then it was actually the Backstreet Boys and the Bee Gees.”

After four days of nonstop wedding fun, they embarked the next day to Sicily and Santorini for their honeymoon. They are currently living in Chicago’s River North neighborhood with their Goldendoodle, Moose, and looking forward to house hunting and planning their next travel adventure together as newlyweds.

Wedding Details

Venue & catering
The Morton Arboretum

Wedding planner
Sarah Kathleen Events, Winfield

Bride’s attire
Lehenga from Frontier Raas in Delhi, India; gown from Bri’Zan Couture, Naperville

Bride’s accessories
Dolce Vita heels from Nordstrom, Chicago; jewelry by Amrapali and M. Walters in Kolkata, India

Bride’s hair & makeup
The FacePro, Chicago

Bridesmaids’ dresses
Azazie.com

Groom’s attire
Sherwani from Manyavar in Delhi; tuxedo from the Raymond Shop in Kolkata

Groomsmen’s attire
Kurtas and vests from Manyavar in Kolkata; tuxedos from the Black Tux, Chicago

Rings
Groom’s ring from B.C. Sen Jewellers; bride’s rings from Jared, Naperville, and Precious Fine Jewelry

Cake
DeEtta’s Bakery, Naperville

Flowers & decor
Town and Country Gardens, Elgin

Entertainment
DJ Sherlock, Chicago

Photography
Mandalette Photography, Chicago

Photos: Mandalette Photography