The Kimmel Center Set the Stage for This Maximalist, Cross-Cultural Celebration
Velvet-draped tables were topped with arrangements featuring carnivorous plants, a nod to one of the groom’s favorite musicals, Little Shop of Horrors.
Seetha Chandrasekhara and Hank Zhang’s attire honored their cultures. The Kimmel Center wedding was a maximalist, cross-cultural celebration. / Photography by Pat Furey Photography
Ask Seetha Chandrasekhara and Hank Zhang to describe their Big Day in four words, and they’ll say “surreal, rainforest, fun, showstopping.” However, Seetha says, “If you ask our friends, they would say ‘Crazy rich Asian wedding.’” This description (a reference to the Crazy Rich Asians movie, which showcases an over-the-top cross-cultural union) is apt. The pair’s Kimmel Center nuptials — the ceremony took place in the Hamilton Garden and the reception in the Perelman Theater — were lavishly cinematic.
Ushers from the Kimmel Center helped attendees find their escort card “tickets.” And dinner was separated into “acts” outlined on a menu designed to look like a Playbill. (Act 2 offered eggplant stir-fry.)
The mid-autumn event was a far cry from Seetha and Hank’s first wedding, a self-uniting ceremony held in their Rittenhouse condo in May 2023 with three other couples in attendance. But the two, who matched on a dating app in 2020, had always planned on a second shindig. “It was important to us to have a larger wedding so that our family and more friends could help us celebrate,” Seetha says. “We wanted to make sure the event reflected us as individuals and as a couple.”
Seetha wore her mother’s heirloom jewelry as well as pieces gifted to her by family members.
This meant highlighting their cultures — Hank was born in China, and Seetha is Indian — and their shared love of theater and art.
The abbreviated Hindu ceremony was officiated by the bride’s hometown priest from New York, who explained each ritual in English so guests could appreciate the traditions.
The ceremony design was influenced by Seetha’s mother’s birthplace in India: “We used the agriculture and flora — coffee, citrus, jasmine, black pepper, greenery — of Coorg as inspiration for the mandap and aisle,” the bride explains.
Each table was named for one of their favorite musicals, operas, ballets, or plays, and the decor was inspired by artists like Gustav Klimt (gold-painted leaves and busts) and Henri Rousseau (jungle-like greenery).
Velvet-draped tables were topped with arrangements featuring carnivorous plants, a nod to one of Hank’s favorite musicals, Little Shop of Horrors.
And the duo’s custom logo — elephants holding up the Chinese double happiness symbol — was projected at the back of the theater. Says Seetha, “It was maximalism at its core.”
The cake was created by Nutmeg Cake Design before the shop closed.
Afterward, the newlyweds hosted a “Till Death” pajama party at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., for which Seetha sported a PJ set by Fishtown designer Madison Chamberlain.
THE DETAILS
Photographer: Pat Furey Photography | Venue: The Kimmel Center | Event Planning & Design: KPW Productions | Florals: S.A.C. Design | Catering: Rhubarb Hospitality Collection | Cake: Nutmeg Cake Design | Cake Topper: The Cut. Collective | Bride’s Attire: Kankatala (ceremony); Nazranaa (reception); Madison Chamberlain (after-party) | Hair: Heads & Tails Beauty Boutique | Makeup: Beke Beau | Custom Nail Artist: Nina Beanz | Groom’s Attire: Ralph Lauren Purple Label | Officiant: Krishna Varanasi | Entertainment: The Creswell Club (cocktail hour jazz band); DJ Shilpa (reception) | Harpist: Rebecca Simpson | Invitations: Chick Invitations | Rentals: Vision Furniture Event Rentals and Party Rental Ltd. | Lighting: Ensemble Arts Philly | Photo Booth: Sirena Photo Booth | Transportation: King Transportation | After-Party Venue: Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. | After-Party Catering: Bacchus Market & Catering
Published as “Seetha & Hank” in the Winter/Spring 2026 issue of Philadelphia Wedding.
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