Stevens Family Farm

Hindu Ceremony

Nondenominational Ceremony

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

Friday, August 8

A Hindu wedding ceremony is a sacred ritual rooted in the ancient Vedas, symbolizing the spiritual and cosmic union of the couple. The ceremony involves invoking the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. Each represents different aspects of life, such as stability, purity, passion, communication, and spiritual connection. 1:30 p.m. Guests arrive to the farm. 2:00 p.m. Ceremony begins. - Baraat: Groom arrives accompanied by family and friends.- Vara Agamana: Welcoming the groom. Bride's family welcomes the groom, symbolizing the beginning of the union.- Kanya Aagaman: The bride's processional. The bride is accompanied by her family down the aisle.- Jailmaal: Exchange of garlands. The couple exchanges floral garlands, symbolizing the binding of their marriage and their commitment to each other.- Prayers to Ganesh, Laxmi and Krishna. Prayers are offered to these deities for their blessings. Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, Laxmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and Krishna symbolizes love and divine joy.- Kanyadaam: The bride's sibling pours water over flour, signifying purity and the hope for a successful marriage. This represents unity, harmony, prosperity, and happiness.- Gaathi Bandhan "the I Dos". The ends of the couple's scarves are tied together, symbolizing the joining of their lives. The knot represents unity, harmony, prosperity, and happiness.- Havan. A sacred fire ceremony where offerings are made to the fire, symbolizing the purification of the couple's lives and their commitment to each other.- Laaja Homa. In this ritual, parched grains are offered into the fire by the bride, symbolizing her prayer for her husband's long life, virility, and prosperity.- Sapta Padee. The couple will take seven steps together, each step representing a vow or promise as they begin their journey together through life.- Sindoor Daan. The groom applies a red powder (sindoor) to the bride's hairline, symbolizing her status as a married woman.- Blessings of the rings. The wedding rings are blessed by the pandit (priest), symbolizing the eternal bond between the couple.- Blessings from the pandit and parents. The couple receives blessings from the pandit and their parents, signifying the end of the wedding ceremony and the beginning of their married life. 3:30 p.m. The traditional Guyanese seven curries will be served, buffet style. While food is served, members of the groom and bride's families will perform dances. After the meal is served, feel free to hang out and celebrate with us!

Saturday, August 9

Nondenominational ceremony and reception

Two different shuttles will be going to the farm and will leave starting at 2 p.m. from Fairfield Inn &amp; Suites by Marriott Baraboo (932 Gateway Drive, Baraboo, WI 53913). The last shuttle leaves at 3:20 p.m. Each shuttle fits 10-12 people. There will be 5-6 trips. Please try to catch earlier shuttles! Please arrive by 3:45 p.m. for the ceremony. 4:00 p.m. Ceremony. 4:30 p.m. Cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres (Open bar) 6:00 p.m. Dinner (Buffet) 7:30 p.m. Dancing and music. Shuttles back to the Fairfield Inn will be provided at 10 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11 p.m., 11:30 p.m, 12 a.m., 1 a.m., and 2 a.m. The phone number for the shuttle is 608-370-4352. Uber and Lyft will not be available in this rural area, so please plan ahead. Be safe and have fun!

What To Wear

On Friday, feel free to wear a colorful semi-formal outfit. If you would like, you are welcome to wear a Lehenga, Kurti, or Saree (women) or Kurta or Sherwani (men). The bride will be wearing red. On Saturday, please dress nice (cocktail/semi-formal/dressed up). We encourage you to dress up and be comfortable! Men, it may be hot, so please feel free to wear a polo!

Schedule

Please RSVP using the link or QR code below as soon as possible and no later than July 4:<a href="https://www.aisleplanner.com/app/v2/our-wedding/Savannaandjerry/rsvp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.aisleplanner.com/app/v2/our-wedding/Savannaandjerry/rsvp</a>

RSVP Link!

In the fall of 2016, Jerry and Savanna both arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as freshmen, each living on the third floor of Slichter Hall. Neither knew it at the time, but they were just down the hall from one another. The story began when Savanna’s roommate, Ava, started hanging out with Jerry and his friends in the spring. As friends do, they gradually pulled Savanna into their circle, and that’s when the spark ignited. It didn’t take long for Jerry and Savanna to realize they liked each other, and by May, Jerry took Savanna to see Chance the Rapper in St. Paul. They later looked back on this as their first unofficial date—though the concert was incredible, it was the conversation that made it truly special. When summer arrived, the physical distance between them grew, but they kept in touch, and their connection only deepened. By the fall of 2017, their bond had grown even stronger. They spent countless hours studying together, navigating college life, and creating lasting memories. The relationship reached a turning point when Jerry gave Savanna an Om necklace on December 13th, marking the moment they officially became partners in this adventure together. The following year, Savanna had the chance to study abroad, and for 10 months, they faced the challenge of long-distance. They stayed up late for video chats and counted the days until they would be reunited. That reunion came in a magical way: Jerry had planned to fly to Paris for his 21st birthday to be with Savanna, so they could celebrate both of their birthdays together in the city of lights. It was almost perfect—Jerry’s flight was delayed, so he didn’t make it on his birthday, but he arrived the next day, and they quickly made up for lost time. They spent the evening wandering Montmartre, getting lost in the charm of the city. The adventure continued as they traveled to Amsterdam, Aix-en-Provence, and Barcelona, with each new destination becoming more unforgettable than the last. Europe, love, and adventure—what could be better? When Savanna returned from studying abroad, they picked up right where they left off, spending the summer in Madison and savoring every moment together. Then, as senior year wrapped up in 2020, they made the leap to move in together on West Johnson Street in Madison. Their 650-square-foot apartment became their cozy home. They worked from home, navigated life in a small space, and somehow thrived during such a challenging time. If anything, it only made their relationship stronger. After graduation, both Jerry and Savanna launched their careers, continuing to build memories—attending concerts, going on vacations, and enjoying game nights with friends. Eight years after first arriving in Madison, in July 2024, they took the next big step and moved to Minneapolis, ready to start a new chapter in their lives. Once they were settled into their new apartment, Jerry suggested a walk to the Sculpture Garden. It was a hot, sunny day—the perfect summer weather—with flowers in full bloom. They strolled through the park, chatting and soaking in the beauty around them. When they reached a shady pergola covered in flowers, Jerry pulled Savanna close and, to her surprise, dropped down on one knee. “Will you marry me?” he asked, and in that moment, the world felt perfect. And just like that, they had gone from college friends to soulmates, to soon-to-be husband and wife. The rest, as they say, was history.

Our Story

Photos

Sylvie is my wonderful little sister. From the moment we met, we were instantly close. Sylvie was always my loudest fan during hockey games and is still my cheerleader. There's nothing sweeter than a sister. 

Sylvie

Sarah is my oldest friend. We became friends in middle school, as the only girls in Brazilian jiu-jitsu class. Sarah always gives the best advice and crafting inspiration. No matter how far apart we live, our bond stays strong.

Sarah

Stephanie worked with me in the Wisconsin Legislature, working in the same office for 2.5 years. When there were slow days in the office, we were never bored because we had each other. Stephanie brings joy and positivity with her wherever she goes. 

Stephanie

Talaidh and I became friends during our time abroad studying in Aix-en-Provence, France. We traveled together, drank lots of wine, and were running buddies. Talaidh knows how to live life to the fullest and has taught me how to do movie star makeup.

Talaidh

Abigail and I became friends during our time abroad studying in France. We spent many nights playing Catan and eating baguettes. Abigail once planned a trip for our friend group to go to Rome, and found the best deals. Abigail is a master planner and incredibly kind. 

Abigail

Jessica and I were roommates during our year abroad. Jessica was a wonderful roommate and is a great friend. We have had many great adventures together, like visiting poppy fields (pictured above). Jessica is very caring, and I am always happy when we are together.

Jessica

Elana and I became friends in Madison after college, where we would often go to markets and thrift together. Elana is full of life and is a great travel partner. We became closer on trips together to Hawaii and New Jersey. 

Elana

Cayman is the first friend I made when I moved to UW-Madison. We quickly bonded over music, TV and late-night walks along the lake. He has known Savanna and I our entire relationship and has been there at key moments along our journey. There is nobody we trust more to marry us!

Cayman

We did not always get along as kids, but our relationship has grown stronger as we've grown older. I know that Josh will always be there for me, and I will always be there for my little brother. A1 from Day 1. 

Joshua

Johnny is a loving and caring person. He knows the importance of family and I've been lucky to have him as my older brother.

Johnny

Blake lived next to me in the dorm and was a Vikings fan, so naturally we were instant friends. He is easy to talk to and the more we got to know each other the more we discovered we had in common. I'll always be grateful for the many heart-to-heart moments we shared together. 

Blake

Jimmie is my brother from another mother, and I remember how excited I would always be when he pulled up to the family function. He definitely influenced some of my interests growing up including sports, anime and video games. Since I've moved back to MN our bond has become even tighter. 

Jimmie

Everyone needs someone in their life that will push them past their comfort zone so they can grow and learn from their mistakes. Whether it was at football practice or mandir Rickey has helped me become my best self by encouraging me and always having my back. 

Rickey

Aron is my best friend from school growing up. There was once a time we were the same height playing basketball together, but that did not last long. Every time I get to see Aron again, I know we are going to have an amazing time and will probably stay up all night talking about life. 

Aron

Henry and I have known each other since elementary school but our friendship really grew in the later years of High School. We had just about every class together senior year and when I found out he was also going to attend UW-Madison, I asked him to be roommates our freshmen year at college. This turned out to be one of the greatest decisions I've made because we turned into best friends after that!

Henry

Wedding Party

Q + A

Any rooms not booked by July 15 on our block will be released to the general public. To get the locked in price, book before then!

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Baraboo

The Madison airport is 1 hour drive away from the wedding venue!

AmericInn & Suites By Wyndham Baraboo Event Center

Travel

Any rooms not booked by July 17 on our block will be released to the general public. To get the locked in price, book before then!

Visiting Devil's Lake while you are in the area is a must! There are beautiful hikes and beaches for all to enjoy. This is one of the most popular state parks in Wisconsin for good reason.

Devil's Lake State Park

See clowns, ponies, acrobats, magicians, and more!

Circus World | A Wisconsin Historic Site

Check out this gorgeous winery and distillery, which is a short drive from Baraboo, right next to the Wisconsin River. Their absinthe uses herbs grown on Savanna's parents' farm. They also have food, made by a chef who was trained in France.

Wollersheim Winery & Distillery

This unique local feature has rare cranes from all over the world, addressing the health of the landscapes that sustain cranes and a wealth of biological diversity. Cranes truly are ambassadors for conservation, representing some of the most important places on Earth. This is the only place on the earth that has such a collection of crane.

Savanna & Jerry

Savanna & Jerry

Registry