Vanderbilt classmates who met at an a cappella audition wed in Lake Placid

Lara Russell-Lasalandra and Umang Chaudhry were married on Dec. 20 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Lake Placid, N.Y., before 190 guests; the Rev. John Yonkovigat, a Catholic priest, officiated, and Ms. Russell-Lasalandra surprised Mr. Chaudhry by reciting her vows in Hindi. The couple hosted a Hindu ceremony the next day at Whiteface Lodge, where guests danced to Bollywood music.

The two first met at a Vanderbilt University a cappella audition in August 2019. Mr. Chaudhry, then on the ensemble’s leadership committee, said he was blown away when Ms. Russell-Lasalandra sang Kelly Clarkson’s "Walk Away" and called her "by far the best performer I had seen." Ms.

Russell-Lasalandra said she was intimidated because he "seemed really tough" while asking her to complete musical exercises. They warmed to each other over group dinners and a late-night conversation at a Chili’s, then began texting nonstop. When Mr. Chaudhry did not immediately ask her out, "she made the move," the account says; their first formal date was at a nearby Italian restaurant, and they later spent pandemic months together after he accompanied her to Miami and stayed about three months.

They became engaged in September 2024 during a trip to Dallas, when Ms. Russell-Lasalandra opened a box containing a scroll that read, "Will you marry me?" Ms.

Key Topics

Culture, Lara Russell-lasalandra, Umang Chaudhry, St. Agnes Church, Lake Placid, Whiteface Lodge