Marjie Ducey – Omaha World-Herald – Sept 21, 2025 – Lincoln Journal Star

My cmnt: I include this piece from the OWH via the LJS because my dear (2nd) cousin (tho’ more like a first) married an Indian man and we attended their wedding. She also is a doctor. Sadly we did not have a henna station at the reception, our young (at the time) boys would have loved that as they have acquired numerous tattoos since then.

When Sangeetha Tandalam and Brayden Jensen matched on Hinge, she was surprised to find he went to the same medical school.

Sangeetha Tandalam and Brayden Jensen met while they were both attending the Creighton University School of Medicine. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Sangeetha was in her second year and Brayden his third at Creighton University School of Medicine, and people in his class had great things to say about him.

“We started texting, and for our first date, we went to see a horror movie — a genre we both love,” Sangeetha said. “We instantly clicked.”

After they dated for a year and a half, Brayden teamed up with Sangeetha’s friends to plan a surprise proposal.

One Friday evening, her friends persuaded her to dress up for what she thought was a fun girls night out.

“As we walked through Heartland of America Park, I was surprised to find Brayden waiting for me in front of the fountain, surrounded by tealight candles and rose petals,” she said. “He got down on one knee and proposed with a ring that had the diamond stone from his late mom’s wedding ring.”

Celebrating their cultures

Since Brayden is white and Sangeetha is Indian, they wanted to celebrate both of their identities on their wedding day.

Both families dressed in Indian attire at the reception, including the wedding couple. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

For the rehearsal dinner, her family wore traditional Indian attire, while Brayden’s family wore black-tie attire. However, for the wedding ceremony in a church, both sides of the family wore formal Western attire.

The post-wedding reception embraced Indian traditions. Both families dressed in Indian attire, symbolizing the acceptance of each other’s cultures.

A henna station was a big hit. “Everyone loved it and happily waited in line to get their turn.”

They also wanted to honor the parents they’d lost in recent years. Brayden’s mom and Sangeetha’s dad both passed away while they were in medical school.

“Though we never had the chance to meet each other’s late parents, we reserved seats for them at the ceremony with special signs in their memory. It was an emotional day. My mom walked me down the aisle, and Brayden’s dad officiated the ceremony,” she said.

Perfect moments

At the reception, they created a special table with framed photos of their late parents. Instead of the traditional father-daughter and mother-son dances, Sangeetha danced with Brayden’s dad, and Brayden danced with her mom.

Brayden proposed after the two had dated for 1½ years. They are now doing their residencies in Kansas City. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

“The dance was super fun and was filled with lots of laughter,” she said.

It was also one of the sweetest moments of the day, especially watching her mom dance with Brayden.

“It was pure joy seeing her break out dance moves I’d never seen before and twirl him around the dance floor the entire time,” she said. “I was also deeply touched to see everyone in Brayden’s family wear Indian attire for the reception. It was a beautiful and meaningful gesture that made the evening feel absolutely perfect.”

You forgot what?

Because the wedding ceremony was at 11 a.m., Sangeetha and her bridesmaids had to arrive at the church’s bridal suite by 6 a.m. for hair and makeup.

A moment of quiet after the ceremony. Sangeetha says Brayden is her unicorn, someone she never thought she’d find. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Some of them had stayed over at her apartment the night before, which made the morning hectic as everyone tried to get out the door on time.

“After finally making it to the church and getting started with hair and makeup, I suddenly realized I had completely forgotten my wedding gown,” she said. “We all had a good laugh, and my roommate (also a bridesmaid) quickly drove me back to the apartment to retrieve it. I was thankful I remembered when I did and not at 10 a.m. That would’ve been a disaster.”

Unfortunately, they didn’t make it in time to pick up their wedding cake.

Family photos after the ceremony ran longer than expected, and they arrived at the bakery 10 minutes after it had closed. Despite multiple attempts to contact the bakery, they weren’t able to get in touch with them.

“Thankfully, not having a wedding cake didn’t take away from the celebration — our reception was still perfect. We had already planned to serve gulab jamun, an Indian dessert, to all our guests at the reception. Plus, the floats station provided by the Durham Museum was a hit and more than satisfied everyone’s sweet tooth.”

Treasured gift

Brayden’s mother died from breast cancer in 2021. One of their close family friends held on to several of her shirts and took the time to make a beautiful, quilted blanket out of them.

The rings are from Borsheims. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

“Not only is it priceless due to its emotional value, it’s also comfortable. We had so many incredible gifts, but this one took the cake,” Sangeetha said.

Sangeetha’s family purchased a gold chain, a traditional Indian practice, and gave it to Brayden on the wedding day. Brayden’s family took bridal portraits of Sangeetha in the week leading up to the wedding.

Sangeetha also added her own creative touch to the day.

“I DIYed a stained-glass wedding welcome board with my medical school roommate, who was also one of my bridesmaids,” she said. “It was such a fun project for us to work on — one final creative project that marked the end of four wonderful years of living and doing fun stuff together.”

Impossible dream

Sangeetha recalls venting to one of her closest friends, wondering if the type of man she wanted even existed.

“I was so shocked when I found Brayden, and I still am — he is my unicorn,” she said. “He is everything beyond what I ever wanted. He loves me and my family very much. He was my rock when I lost my dad. I am often amazed by his intelligence, and he also makes me laugh with his goofiness. Life has just been so fun with him.”

Even though Brayden said he’s been surprised by how many clothes-filled suitcases his wife brought along on their move to Kansas City for their medical residencies — he says she’s been storing them inside each other like nesting dolls — she is his inspiration in every way.

“She has displayed an enormous amount of resilience throughout her entire life and continues to do so every day,” he said. “She loves her family and always strives to do right by them. She cares about people of all walks of life and wants to truly make a difference in peoples’ lives. I hope and pray that our kids get mostly her genetics.”

Photos: Bride, groom blend each other’s cultures during their Omaha wedding

Sangeetha Tandalam and Brayden Jensen met while they were both attending the Creighton University School of Medicine. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The wedding dress. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

They were married at First Presbytarian Church. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Our Pastor

First Presbyterian Church welcomes Rev. Brianne Christiansen!

Rev. Brianne Christiansen is excited to be your pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Omaha!

She is a Minister of Word and Sacrament who has served the PC(USA) for over a decade. She recently completed an installed call with a congregation in Glacier Presbytery (Montana). Before that, she held a statewide role in the Presbytery of Arkansas serving youth and young adults while also serving on staff at a large Presbyterian church in Northwest Arkansas.

She received her Master of Divinity from Western Theological Seminary in 2021 and completed Clinical Pastoral Education, becoming a Board Certified Chaplain with CEPI in 2022.

Brianne is a creative, collaborative leader who loves crafting innovative, experiential worship services. She believes the Word should be the center of all we do and tries to make the Story of God the highlight of every worship gathering. She leads congregations in building community-centered ministry grounded in meaningful relationships. She can’t wait to explore where the Holy Spirit is uniquely moving within First Presbyterian Church of Omaha, and she’s looking forward to walking with you on that journey!

Brianne is a Midwest girl married to an Omaha Boy, and yes, the whole family is Cornhuskers! Brianne met Jacob on stage in college, and they will celebrate 10 years of marriage this December. Jacob is a theatre professor and professional director who will join the UNO theatre faculty this fall. They have an 8-month-old son Arthur who loves cottage cheese, hi-fives, and making as much noise as possible.

Brianne loves spending time outside with her family and two dogs, Calvin and Cricket: walking, hiking, camping, and playing soccer. And when she takes her family on vacation, they’re probably in a tent at a national park. She enjoys art, music, theatre, and good storytelling of any kind. And she’s always up to join on an adventure, especially if it involves good food or dark chocolate!

We hope you join our congregation as she leads us together in worship!

You may kiss the bride. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Brayden proposed after the two had dated for 1½ years. They are now doing their residencies in Kansas City. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The two met while they were both at medical school at Creighton. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Family portrait. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Family portrait. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The bridesmaids. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The wedding party. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The wedding party. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

Enjoying the reception. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The guests loved the henna station at the reception. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

A henna station at a wedding reception provides guests with a live, temporary body art experience using a plant-based dye called henna, applied by a skilled artist to create intricate, symbolic designs on hands and feet. It’s a way to celebrate cultural traditions, offer unique wedding favors, and create lasting memories through a beautiful and interactive activity for guests of all ages. 

What it is:

• A dedicated space where guests can choose a henna design to be applied to their skin by a professional artist. 

The design is temporary and fades over time, unlike permanent tattoos. 

Cultural Significance:

• Henna, or mehndi (especially in South Asian cultures), is an ancient art form associated with good luck, prosperity, and joy. 

It is a common practice in many cultural and religious traditions, including Hindu, Sikh, and Islamic weddings

A moment of quiet after the ceremony. Sangeetha says Brayden is her unicorn, someone she never thought she’d find. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

On their first date, they went to a horror movie. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS

The wedding couple. BRAD GAUHARI, COMPLETE WEDDINGS