It was on a dance floor during a New Year’s Eve party in Las Vegas when Dino and Ekta met for the first time. The party, hosted by Young Sindhi Adults (YSA), offered the two fun-loving people the perfect chance to befriend each other. The following week of long feasts and dance parties only strengthened the bond. Dino’s confession, “One day I got to know from my Facebook wall that she visited Daytona a few weeks earlier without meeting me. I was annoyed. To compensate, she offered to buy me a drink the next time we met. Little did she know that I was going to make her my wife and make her pay for it – forever.” Half a year later they met in Chicago at the YSA retreat.

It was during the Chicago weekend that Dino expressed his feelings for Ekta. The 16 hours that followed seemed like a lifetime of silence for Dino. Ekta was on her way to Hong Kong and for 16 hours, he could not hear her voice. It was way too much after that weekend. The flight ended in an immediate reconnection between the two, and the month-long trip added much love to Ekta’s life and reflected manifold on her roaming phone bill. What followed is love (hi)story.

Next, the two families met, but as it’s a real life chronicle and not a Bollywood flick, the meeting didn’t result in any twists. Instead, they proceeded to sketching plans and taking the love story to the next level – the wedding! Something was missing – the love was there and the wedding plans were on – but where was the official on-one-knee western style proposal? Just in time, a week before the kachi misri, the commitment making ceremony, Dino found or rather carved out an opportunity.

He invited Ekta to the christening of a friend’s baby in Daytona. After lunch, he took her for a walk on the beach. At this point, Dino said “Oh! I gotta tie my shoelace,” and before Ekta realized what was happening and that his shoes didn’t have laces, he was on one knee with the ring asking for her hand in marriage. Ekta happily accepted the proposal. Congratulations poured in from unknown witnesses passing by the spot.

Wedding
Sonal J. Shah, the wedding planner was hired to take care of the practical where-what-who items. A wedding cruise was unanimously sailing through both sides’ minds. Since both families were from Miami and Daytona, the wedding was undoubtedly to be in Florida. Miami was eliminated as a destination to keep guests from skipping events and clubbing in South Beach. Taking a cue from Cruise Plus’ advertisement in Desh-Videsh, bookings were made for the Carnival Imagination.

The engagement and welcome party was to be held at the Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne in March, and on the next day, all guests were invited to board the cruise. The mehndi and sangeet were scheduled to take place on the sailing ship, which was expected to inspire guests’ dance moves. One day later, the ship remained anchored in Nassau, for the lovebirds to tie the knot at the Atlantis and return to the ship for more festivities.

Ekta and Dino decided to go with a deep purple and gold color theme after being inspired by a picture they found online of a butterfly. These colors were reflected in their invitations, gift bags, website, welcome bags placed in the cabins, their sangeet night outfits and décor, wedding favors such as T-shirts and luggage tags, wedding brochures (containing itinerary and details of the wedding), table cards, mandap décor, and more.

The five different events offered an equal number of opportunities for the bride-to-be to showcase different shades of her beauty. To look ravishing on all those days, Ekta flew to India. With her mom, she visited Mumbai and Delhi searching for exclusive trousseaus. Ekta got her lehnga custom-made from scratch, and a panel made of Swarovski stones inspired her design. She herself designed the top of her outfit.

Together, the duo coordinated the colors of their outfits. In planning a special theme for the sangeet night, they decided to get all the men in the family to wear alike. The result was that all the men from both the sides were wearing ivory sherwanis with purple embroidery. The only difference between the groom and bride’s side was in the patterns. Intelligent enough, Ekta flipped her colors and wore a purple base to her outfit, adorning silver and gold embroidery. Her exquisite attire for the mehndi ceremony was an exotic lime base with large pink, yellow and blue feathered rhinestones.

The bride’s dress for the wedding reception was an interesting fusion of ethnic Indian design and Western fashion – she gave a desi touch with brocade and crystal stones to a Monte Carlo inspired-costume. The hair and make-up were the only things left unplanned by Ekta. But then there was an expert to take care of this area. Edin Carpenter from Los Angeles, a childhood friend of Dino and a celebrity hair stylist and make-up artists came to her rescue.

Welcome Reception & Engagement
On Thursday evening before the wedding, guests gathered in Miami to begin festivities. The welcome reception was a big fun event. The highlight of the evening was a photo booth where guests could put on props and take silly pictures to take home.

Mehndi & Sangeet/Raas Garba
The guests by then got an idea of the great fun that awaited them. The next afternoon, everyone boarded the all-welcoming Carnival Imagination. The mehndi bags made of pink and gold brocade with a drawstring were handed over to all the girls in the group. Placed in bags was a Ganesha keychain with crystals, two bracelets – one gold and one silver, and a bag of chocolates – purple and gold M&Ms with Dino and Ekta’s names, date and pictures printed on.

Fresh flowers from outside were not allowed on board, so Jilna, the decorator from Suhaag Garden, used her creativity. She used wooden roses and boutonnieres created from buds to assemble the centerpieces and other decorations. The little time available to decorate the lounge was yet another challenge to face. Nevertheless, the décor was mesmerizingly beautiful. Purple and orange satin drapes were preset on the poles along with LED lights adding glitter to the flow. A similar color combination was used to cover bolsters and cushions were thrown over the lounge style couches. The wooden benches, mango parasols, amber lanterns and Moroccan tray tables placed around the dance floor simply added to the grandeur of the show. The stage bore a Moroccan touch with artifacts like hookahs, lanterns, panels and dividers.

All guests tapped their feet on the dance floor to the beats of DJ Bosco, popular among Bollywood stars. The drink cards were already provided to the guests while boarding, so right from boarding to de-boarding all drinks were on the hosts.

Wedding Ceremony
Then came the much-awaited evening, the most special day in the life of Ekta and Dino. The guests arrived in Limos from the cruise ship to The Atlantis and found a stage all so perfectly set with beautiful aisle pedestals and Laxmis with black magic rose, purple lisianthus and gerbera arrangements simply complementing the exotic mundap. Hanging all around the aisle were the natural curtains of red amaranthus and burgundy callas. Jilna exported the center of attraction, the four-pillared mandap with a Bengali backdrop overlay, all the way to the Bahamas.

Widening smiles of the already joyous couple was the wedding cake with a topper designed as a caricature of Dino and Ekta. DJ Bosco played carefully selected numbers and the setting sun and rising moon offered just the perfect twilight hour for the two stars to walk down the aisle to exchange vows and unite forever. In a few moments, the moon appeared just above the mandap with the Atlantis in the backdrop offering a picture perfect moment for the evening.

The Reception
The next morning, a daylong reception party started on the deck. The seated breakfast, lunch and dinner were all served only as per the Indian menu with dishes selected personally by Ekta.

When asked if she had any nightmares regarding her grand wedding, Ekta replied, “Oh! I still have nightmares that we all missed the boat!”

The post The Perfect Wedding – Ekta and Dino first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

On a bright sunny day, Tanaz was getting ready to have lunch with Gustad – a normal weekend affair the duo had been following for more than two years now. She was used to long comforting walks and spending quality time with Gustad in Central Park followed by feasts. However something inside her said this was special. What could possibly be the surprise element? Oh yes! He must have planned an exciting birthday bash as it is Januray 25, Gustad’s birthday – she concluded.

The two met and proceeded on a walk across the park to reach the restaurant where lunch awaited them. But in the vicinity of the famous Bow Bridge of Central Park, Gustad did something Tanaz will cherish for the rest of her life. He suddenly went down on one knee, confessed his love and proposed “Tanaz, will you marry me?” Though not prepared for such a pleasant surprise from the birthday boy himself, she couldn’t resist the offer and reverted with a quick “yes” accepting the beautiful ring from Gustad, which was a symbol of his love and commitment for her, elevating their friendship to new heights.

As Gustad had already convinced both families, with Tanaz’s ‘yes’ what remained was a spectacular Parsi wedding. Donning the hat of an experienced wedding planner, Tanaz’s mother Yasmine began the preparations.

The Wedding plan
The Wyndham Orlando Resort-Convention Center on International Drive was picked for the auspicious occasion as the venue offered a separate entrance for privacy so that guests could skip the crowd in the general lobby. The ballroom offered a perfect floor for the celebration. The couple’s love for nature and Central Park’s landscapes gave the theme color for the day. And the world went green and gold for the Parsi love birds.

As a traditional Parsi wedding, four days before the wedding Madavsaro ceremony was held. Brothers of the bride and groom planted two fruit trees, broke coconut and offered prayers. As a symbol of fertility, they sowed egg, with pure white cloth, gold and silver beads, paan, supari, kharak, bada, and rock candy with a small container of dahi kunku. Adami – the gifts exchanging ceremony between the two families was held on the wedding eve.

Décor
The wedding stage was decorated in open Athena style with four pillars, hanging lights and flowers. Adorning the transoms was Asho Farohar.

There were six aisles to match the stage, all beautifully lined-up with flower arrangements and lights. The chairs wore white scroll design covers with sash. Palloo really did a great job.

For reception, the bridal table was decorated with cascading flowers. The backdrop was crystal curtains with LED Uplights. The cake table was decorated with fabric and votive candles and the cake centerpiece was set in tall bubble vase filled with water gems.

Flowers and bouquets
The bride’s bouquet had red roses with white pearl decoration while the groom’s bouquet was a bunch of red roses. Red freedom and circus roses, baum color dendrobium orchids, orane astermaria, purple and pink stock, leather leaf, lily grass, and purple lizi marcia brought in the perfect décor. The groom’s niece, the flower girl of the evening carried rose petals in a basket.

Trousseau, hair and makeup
The bride’s sari was white and had gold designs and netting. The jewelry was gold. Tanaz stylishly went for her hair up. Her makeup was also along the same lines, soft and elegant.

The men from both the families wore dugli (traditional Parsi dress) for the ceremony. The groom wore a feta, a black old-fashioned hat and carried a bouquet in one hand and coconut in the other. Over the arm swung a traditional shawl. The two groom’s men also wore the dugli but with small red velvet caps. These clothes were all made in India.

Parsi Zarthushti Marriage ceremony
The ceremony started with affirmations and commitments from Gustad and Tanaz. The mutual consent of the couple was asked, not once, but thrice and then the Mobed blessed the couple with showers of rice and rose petals.

The bride and groom were each led and welcomed separately into the hall with Achhoo Michhoo – the good luck wishing ceremony – wherein both families separately welcomed the new family member. Following was the traditional Ara Antar – the union ceremony where Tanaz and Gustad sat facing each other with a cloth held between them. They held their right hand in a clasp under the screen and rice in their left hand. The Mobeds recited the prayers seven times while passing cotton thread around Tanaz and Gustad seven times, enclosing the couple in a circle. As the prayers were over, the cloth was dropped and the couple raced on throwing rice on each other. As the tradition says that the first one to throw rice would be more dominating, Tanaz -the undisputed winner- had reasons to beam. Thereafter the Ashirwad was bestowed upon the bride and the groom. The ceremony ended with the exchange of wedding rings.

Music
DJ Firoz was roped in to make the mood for the evening. He played the music pre-selected by the couple for the ceremony. The bride walked the aisle with the background instrumental track of Hum Tum. The groom preferred walking to an English song instead.

The Wedding cake
They picked a simple cake with a unique fun topper.  It was a pair of monkeys dressed up for their wedding under a palm tree. The couple saw it online and got it made for the event. They did a bit of research and found someone in NYC who makes them out of clay.  The cake was a blend of Marble Chocó Bavarian, Straw Chocó Bavarian, Butter cream marble and Chocó Bavarian. Syvlette was great as well.

The favors
Good luck Buddha was given to all in a gold organza bag, placed at each dinner setting.

The advice
Let your mom plan the wedding. She won’t let you down.

The post Tanaz and Gustad’s Wedding Story first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

THE PROPOSAL
I came home from work on a Friday and found Jay in my condo down on his knees with a beautiful ring. There was a beautiful sign, romantic decorations, and even all new furniture everywhere. He and his friends worked all day to truly surprise me, and it was amazing.

THE PLANNING
With Jay and I living in Chicago and the wedding being planned in Florida, we faced a lot of challenges surrounding the planning of a wedding remotely. It all worked out well though—with the help of e-mail and my large and supportive family in Florida who did the bulk of the work. We did not have a consultant, and instead, my parents did a lot and had a large volunteer committee that helped work through every detail. It was truly a community effort and we are very grateful to everyone that assisted.

THE LOCATION
I grew up in South Florida and wanted to get married there— it was a great experience to be surrounded by everyone that I was raised along with in the community. Plus the weather was amazing – way better than in Chicago! The Marriott Heron Bay was not only a beautiful venue, but it was convenient and allowed us to have all of our events in one location.

THE BRIDE WORE:
I bought my wedding outfit from Asopalav, a store in Ahmedabad, India. We went to India in November to go shopping and bought all of our clothes and accessories during that trip. The selection was wonderful – the trip was well worth it. My saree was a very traditional red and white, and I custom designed all of my jewelry to match from a small shop in Nadiad, Gujarat.

THE BRIDE’S HAIR AND MAKEUP
There were three main events for which to get ready – garba, wedding, and reception. I have to give all the credit for all my hair and makeup to my beautician, Anju Thakkar. She was absolutely wonderful. She was patient and artistic, and she paid such attention to every single detail. For the garba, she designed my hair into a long, traditional braid called a “chotlo” that was absolutely stunning, surrounded by fresh flowers.

THE FLOWER GIRL:
We had many flower girls and boys walking down the aisle — all of nieces, nephews, and cousins. The older girls came out doing a dance, the younger girls carried flowers, and the boys carried roses and of course the ring.

THE GROOM & THE GUYS WORE:
Jay wore a custom designed Shirvani at the wedding that was embroidered to match my outfit exactly. At the reception he wore a tuxedo, as did all of the men in the wedding party. We chose to have matching tux designs, but everyone chose their own vest color to match their own personality.

Sangeet/Raas Garba
For the garba, we chose a multi-colored theme. All the tables and décor had bright, varied colors. Nilu and Jay’s outfits were also multicolor.

MEHNDI
Our mendhi celebrations took place at home — my parents, brother, and sister-in-law did a wonderful job hosting. They have a breathtaking home, and they built a tent in the backyard beside the pool. Rupal, my sister-in-law, did many of the decorations herself and Rakesh Anand also helped decorate the house — there were candles, lights, and many traditional decorations made of red bandani. We invited the groom’s side over as well, and it was a great occasion for the families to mingle and get to know each other.

THE CEREMONY:
On the morning of our special day, the wedding ceremony took place at the Marriott’s convention center. The barat was one of the best parts of the wedding — the groom’s side launched tons of fireworks, and then came down a street that was lined with large palm trees against the backdrop of the golf course. Once inside, traditional red and white decorations were displayed throughout the hall with a large, gold and white mandap.

TRADITIONS
In our family, the bride’s maternal uncle traditionally brings her down the aisle. Unfortunately, my “mama” was not granted a visa. Therefore, two very special people in my life walked me down the aisle in his place — my brother, Anil, and my sister-in-law, Rupal. One of the most memorable moments for me was when my brother continually held my arm tightly and whispered in my ear halfway down the aisle, “Take it all in Nilu. Take it in.” That was the best advice anybody could have given me.

MUSIC
Our DJ, Satbir Singh from Ace DJ, did a great job with the music at the garba, wedding, and reception. He had an outrageous traveling cart at the barat and you could hear the music throughout the whole hotel – it was awesome! I was sitting in my hotel room getting ready, and I could hear every bit of music outside with my balcony door open — it was so cool, I felt like I was in the middle of a Bollywood movie. The dhol player he brought along just added a wonderful kick to the atmosphere.

TRANSPORTATION:
Jay arrived at the wedding venue in a huge white convertible Bentley that was decorated beautifully with red and white flower strands. Wow, was it breathtaking! Traditional, yet contemporary. I felt like a princess being driven away in it after the wedding.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Two companies took care of photography and videography – Spectacle Photo located in Orlando, and Anand Photo and Video located in South Florida. Both were great. Rich Johnson from Spectacle Photo was one of the most memorable people we have ever met. He is very talented, fun, and an extremely creative photographer. A few months before the wedding, he did our engagement shots at Morikami Park in Delray Beach and they were also spectacular.

THE RECEPTION:
The decorations for the reception were designed to match my outfit, which was teal and gold. The stage backdrop and tables matched, and the centerpieces were large glass vases filled with water and orchids.

TOASTS
We had four speeches — all of which were memorable. My brother spoke, and so did Jay’s brother, Sandip. Both had lots of memories to share about Nilu and Jay’s childhood and path before they met each other. My friends from college spoke and so did Jay’s best friend. My frieds gave Jay some wise pieces of advice. Jay’s friends always have some hilarious stories— life with Jay never has a dull moment.

THE WEDDING CAKE
The cake was designed by Michelle Crooks at Publix. She did a great job—she even custom mixed the icing to exactly match my outfit – all based on a cloth cutting. The cake was four tiers, and each tier was on a separate stand. Sugar flowers and separate stands were used to preserve the beauty and taste of the cake.

ENTERTAINMENT
We played a variety of music throughout the night of the reception. The first dance was “Tere Bina” from the movie Guru, and the father/daughter dance was “Jaab Koi Baat Bigar Jaye” which was a very special moment between me and my dad, who did so much for the wedding and has always been there for me. The last dance song was Green Day’s “Hope you had the time of your life.” Intermingled with the speeches, many of our family and friends did a variety of dances. One of the highlights included our breakout surprise dance done to “Jai Ho.”

THE FAVORS
The favors we gave out at the wedding surrounded our love of dance. We gave out bags with payal in them for the girls, and also a CD with our favorite songs on them. We also tied a quote to the top of the bag, which had to do with dance and the bond of love.

YOUR BEST ADVICE
My advice is to delegate and trust. I had such a wonderful time at the entire wedding, and that was because we delegated every single detail to our close friends and family. When the weekend came along, all that was left to do was have a great time with everyone who came. Jay’s advice— if you are planning a wedding, just call Nilu’s dad, Natubhai Patel from Coral Springs.

NUPTIAL NIGHTMARES/DREAMS:
Throughout the wedding planning process, I kept dreaming of the moment when I’d be walking down the aisle. Over and over everyday, I’d dream of that moment. I must say, the real thing was just as perfect as my dreams.

WEDDING DISASTERS
When I was getting ready for the reception, my beautiful bangles broke! I loved them and they matched my teal and gold dress perfectly. However, don’t fear because Anju Auntie was there. She didn’t even flinch—she remained calm, just whipped out her needle and thread and somehow fixed my bangles in 15 minutes. Wow!

The post Wedding Story – Nilu and Jay Patel first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

The Beginning
It all started with casual phone conversations. Nazreen would ring her friend Nida. Every time, Nida’s cousin Sharjeel would receive the call. The phone would eventually reach Nida, but not before Sharjeel flirted (decorously though) with Nazreen for a while. Over time, the casual flirting morphed into serious discussions. Many dates and discussions later, the couple decided to marry. Planning for an equally amazing day to solemnize the beautiful seven-year long relationship took another seven long months.

Now began the first real-life test for the couple. With what appeared to be a simple task until now, they soon realized would be quite the project. The two families from two neighboring countries brought out long lists of traditions, almost doubling the civilities, and so the complications.

When the two began looking for a venue, they realized that seven months was not too early to begin. Since most couples book their venues a year ahead, they were late. Moreover, venues that were available could not accommodate Indian caters or were not big enough to hold the estimated number of guests. As luck would have it, the couple came across the Inverness Hall of Innisbrook in Tampa. The venue could not only accommodate all guests, but also offered Indian catering. What was the icing on the cake? A pastry chef who accepted the challenge of carving the couple’s dream cake, the Taj Mahal.

Since Nazreen’s family lives in Tampa, it was an ideal location. For Sharjeel, having a destination wedding was a dream come true. His family flew in from many different locales, and he rented a big place for a week where more than 150 relatives gathered to enjoy his special day.

The festivities began with a ‘packing’ event, which was followed by the mehndi and the pithi. Special attraction of the ceremony was the dance floor. On the four corners of the floor, Rimal – the decorator placed umbrella like embellishments with traditional linen flowing around. That day, all guys wore black shalwar kameez. The event set a perfect tempo for the big day celebration.
Wedding civilities were performed at Jamat Khana, the Ismaili prayer place. Adding to the grandeur was the Rolls Royce Limo which the couple rented for the ceremony and reception.

Trousseau
Nazreen went to India to shop for all of her wedding outfits, including her reception lehnga which Sharjeel wanted to buy for her. She knew that she would find her extraordinary outfits for the occasion only in India. And she did. From a boutique in Mumbai, she found a mermaid style maroon lehnga with Swarovski crystals thickly embedded all over. She wore a veil on her head during the nikah and had the dupatta on her shoulder for the reception.

For the nikah, she had her hair in an up-do and wore a tika with subtle make-up. For the reception, she underwent a total transformation. She removed the tika, changed her hair, and went with bold make-up. Complementing her angelic Indian beauty was an exquisite svorovski crystal clutch, which was a gift from Sharjeel’s sister from Pakistan. It goes without saying that Nazreen looked like an angel on earth.

The Taj
Nazreen always wanted a Taj Mahal themed wedding, and her favorite color purple provided the shade for each of the ceremonies. The couple was sure they wanted a cake in the design of the Taj Mahal. Despite asking every baker in town, the two were unable to find anyone willing to take on the daunting task. Finally, the couple’s steadfast view of the symbol of love convinced the chef at Innisbrook to accept the dare. At the reception, a five-foot, intricately carved, amazing white Taj Mahal cake stood in the middle of the dance floor. Made of three different flavors, and adorned with lights, it was a magical sight.

The theme colors were white and purple. Purple LED lights lighted the entire room, and the vases were pin spotted. The colors changed throughout the night. The chairs were silver chivalri and linens were eggplant purple. The tables, which were squares and rectangles, were decorated with crystals and candles. Decorator Remmal from Shangri-la came to the rescue when deciding the backdrop of the stage. A giant 10-foot Taj Mahal ice sculpture set in between two crystal columns adorned the stage. Placed in the reception hall were four different kinds of centerpieces. Two were tall vases that lit up in different colors to coordinate with the colors on the backdrop of the stage. The entire hall was surrounded by LED lights, which changed colors throughout the night.

While enjoying the festivities, Sharjeel’s mind drifted towards the future – dreams of a beautiful and memorable honeymoon in Hawaii and many happy years to follow!

Article Photographs Courtesy:
Fineart Productions
www.fineartproductions.net

The post A Taj Wedding first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

Proposal 

Planning 
I definitely have to admit that I had absolutely NO idea what I was getting myself into when our wedding planning began. There are so many decisions to make and things to take care of … there were definitely moments when I felt completely overwhelmed. We began planning our wedding almost two years earlier because I was in law school in another city, and it was difficult to find time to do anything. As I quickly realized, it was a good thing we began planning early because all the good venues and vendors get booked very quickly.

We decided to pick our date first and then begin the search for the perfect venue. I wanted something different and new and the moment we saw the Marriott, I knew it was the perfect spot. Not only was the hotel gorgeous and new on the scene for Indian events in Orlando, but the event coordinator, Hameant Raghubir, really understood the unique needs necessary for a successful Indian wedding. After picking the venue, things began to fall into place. Going to India for shopping was not an option because of school, and we decided to make a trip to New Jersey instead. The trip turned out to be a huge success – I was able to get all of my outfits as well as book my makeup artist, photographer, and DJ/live band. As for picking out your clothing, I think it is important to have an idea of what style and color(s) you want, but also have an open mind – what you think will look great may actually turn out to not look so good. I have to say that picking out the decorations was one of the most stress-free and fun things I did. I had envisioned what I wanted each event to look like and Smita aunty and Remmal from Shangri-la really worked hard with me to bring my vision to life … the decorations could not have been more fabulous. The ballroom was completely transformed for each event and they truly made the image of what I wanted a reality.

Honeymoon 
We went on a 2-week South american/Caribbean cruise.

Tips, advice and Dos and Do n’t 
Do make sure you delegate ALL responsibility to others a few days before the event and give all vendors information for contact people so you can relax, enjoy and be stress free. Do make sure you get enough rest… it is no fun being tired at your own wedding! Do give your DJ a playlist of songs, especially if you are having multiple events. Your guests will enjoy a variety of music, instead of hearing the same songs over and over. You also don’t want the DJ playing songs you don’t like. Do attend your cocktail party… it really allows you to finally mingle with family and friends!

Videographer: Fine Art Productions 407-979-4749
Makeup artist: Susmita Patel (Studio Sush) 973-202-1717
Mehndi Artist: Tejal Patel 407-415-7994
Venue: Marriot Lake Mary 407-995-1100
Pandit: Mahesh Gor 407-699-5277
Flower: Ranjan (haars & car decoration) 407-438-6094
Cake: Sprinkles bakery 407-647-8044

The post Shivon’s Wedding Story first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

THE PROPOSAL
After 3 years in New York City we both moved to different cities. He came to visit me in Florida and planned a weekend in Key West. It was a gloomy overcast day and he told me he booked a sunset cruise. As we went out to the pier, I realized it was a privately chartered sailboat. Just as we got on the boat, the sky had cleared and it made for a perfect sunset. He brought wine, cheese and champagne and we enjoyed the ride. As the sun began to set, we went to the front of the boat to get away from the skipper. Vivek then read me a poem and at the very end asked me to be his wife!!!

THE PLANNING
Vivek and I were engaged for about 1½ years. Since I was back in another residency and long distance I had to count on Vivek to do most of the legwork. Vivek was a great wedding planner. He did much more than most boys I must say. But, I couldn’t have done it without my wedding planner Samantha Slapnik from Emma Grace Designs. She was incredibly organized through the whole process, but her initiative and calm attitude throughout the wedding weekend made the wedding as smooth as possible.

THE LOCATION 
Our wedding was at the Westin in Downtown Charlotte. Vivek’s family is from Charlotte, but my family is from New York.

COLORS/THEMES OF THE DAY: 
Since there were several days for the wedding, we were able to mix it up. Saturday night was the sangeet, this is a ceremony of singing and dancing.. I wanted it to be colorful and ethnic. There were hookah lounges where the henna lady was applying the henna to the guests. The linens were eggplant and bittersweet so that we could carry these colors throughout the room. We accented the tables with moroccon lanterns to give it a more ethnic feel. On Sunday, the morning ceremony was traditional, but the reception was white and silver and contemporary. My main theme for Sunday was BLING. We had a crystal mandap for the ceremony and then we opened it up for our backdrop for the reception. Our main purpose of our wedding was to showcase how we have maintained two cultures throughout our lives.

THE BRIDE OUTFIT 
I have always wanted to wear a Ritu wedding gown. So, I went to India to do all of my shopping. My main stops were Mumbai, Delhi, and Jaipur. For the sangeet I wore a Neeta Lulla lehnga. I purchased this from her boutique in Mumbai. The blouse was green and the Lehnga (skirt) was pink bordered by the same green that coordinated with the blouse. My wedding gown was a red lehnga from Ritu Kumar. I wore a mauve lehgna for the reception as well, but this was not from a designer. However, I did get a special blouse tailored to match the lehnga from designer Sujata Kothari. All of my jewelry was also purchased in Jaipur, India.

THE BRIDE’S HAIR AND MAKEUP 
My makeup was done by Bollywood makeup artist, Kapil Bhalla. He arrived the day before from Mumbai. For the sangeet, my hair was half up and loosely pinned. I wore my hair in a bun for the ceremony and wore it completely down for the reception. My makeup mainly focused on accenting my eyes.

THE GROOM & THE GUYS OUTFIT 
The groom wore a sher wani, covered in Swarovski crystals from Millionaire in Mumbai along with a red stoll (scarf) and matching pugari (turban). He had a garland of rupees and his face was covered by a “sera” made of beads. There were 12 groomsmen. We had identical kurtas made for them in India. The stolls (scarves) that they wore were dyed to match the colors of the bridemaid’s sarees.

DECOR & SETUP OF SPACE: 
The wedding was held at the Westin Charlotte. The actual ceremony took place under a crystal Mandap . The aisle was lined with flowers and pillars that each held a statue. The ceremony took place around a small fire. Sangeet There was reception the night before the wedding (the Sangeet) that was decorated in a morrocan theme. There were two ‘Hookah Lounges” set up where guest could have Menhdi ( henna) painted on their hands. The Sangeet is typically a colorful affair, so there were bright linens and flower arrangements. There were gobo lighting on the walls and low lighting. There were food and dessert stations. Wedding reception The wedding reception was done in light colors. The crystal mandap was opened up to serve as a backdrop to the head table. The linens were champagne and there were a mixture of high mid and low centerpieces with combinations of white lilies and votive candles. The lighting was dim with gobo effects projected onto the walls.

MUSIC/DANCING/ENTERTAINMENT: 
As guests were being seated, the DJ played a selection of indian lounge and love songs provided by the groom. The family entered to bollywood music. The bride and groom entered to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns n Roses and accompanied by the dhol (a loud Indian drum). The first dance was to Sarah McLachlin’s (one of the bride’s favorite artist) “Answer” The father-daughter song was “Child of Mine”by Carole King. During dinner, the DJ played some a selection of the bride and groom’s favorite downtempo songs. Before dinner, a dance group, including the groom’s cousin brother put on a high energy bhangra performance that ended with everyone on the dance floor. From then on there was mostly popular bhangra dance tracks played.

YOUR BEST ADVICE: 
Plan well in advance, but when the day comes don’t sweat the details and focus on the importance of the moment.

CEREMONY SITE 
Westin Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (704) 375-2600

RECEPTION SITE 
Westin Charlotte, Charlotte, NC (704) 375-2600

VIDEOGRAPHY
Prashant Video Raleigh, NC (919)524-1725

CONSULTANT
Emma Grace Designs, Raleigh, NC (919)341-1530

GOWN 
Ritu Kumar Mumbai, India

HAIR-
Kapil Bhalla, Mumbai, India

MAKEUP – 
Kapil Bhalla, Mumbai, India

WEDDING RINGS 
Diamond’s Direct, Charlotte, NC

HORSE 
White Horse Weddings

CATERING 
Bombay Cuisine, Charlotte, NC (704) 502-1250

MUSIC 
DJ Don, Charlotte,NC Sudha Iyer/Nikhil Tikekar

CAKE 
Cake Lady Jill, Charlotte NC (704) 844-1431

OTHER DESSERTS 
Mad About Chocolate, Charlotte, (937) 694-0730

HONEYMOON 
Millinium Travels New York (201) 435-2242

PHOTOGRAPHER
Christopher Record
http://www.christopherrecord.com 
(Phone) 704.607.4459

The post Soniya’s Wedding Story first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

MEMORABLE! Our wedding was also featured in a new a television series called “Four Weddings,” a new reality show on TLC where four women face off to win a dream honeymoon. What made my wedding special was that it was a union between two individuals from different backgrounds. My husband is Muslim by birth and I am Hindu by birth. Because he is a very special and a loving person, he allowed me to have my wedding day completely Hindu because of my father’s preferences. This set the stage for what became our own personal Bollywood “Jodha Akbar,” story. My Planning: My loving family as well as my in-laws and husband gave me the support I needed to make my wedding day a dream come true. I was and am the luckiest bride ever! With their love and support I decided to travel to India to make the necessary preparations for the wedding. I travelled from Mumbai to Delhi with my loving parents and elder brother for wedding cards, decorations and bridal outfits for my husband and myself. It was truly an adventure for all of us. After gathering everything we came back to Florida to start the planning process. We were a bit overwhelmed with the finances, however we managed to make it work. My advice to most brides and grooms, always stick within your budget. My husband and I can honestly say that we kept to what we had and did not go over budget and still enjoyed our wedding immensely. It was everything we dreamed of; a traditional Indian wedding with lots of glamour.

Wedding Planner:
I was blessed to have two wedding planners. I booked the Alexander Hotel in Miami Beach for my entire wedding day. With the help of both the onsite coordinator Shanti Jetwani and my wedding planner Shama LeFevre from Miami Creations, they worked tirelessly on my wedding day and before it. The end result was a wedding that was planned and executed flawlessly!

Wedding Dress: 
My wedding outfits were designer outfits bought in Mumbai. I had some say in the design and look of it. I never wanted to be a disco ball bride, meaning that all people saw was an outfit. I wanted people to see me the bride and not covered in beads, sequins and Swarovski crystals as every Indian bride is today. I also wanted to go back to traditional look for my husband and myself. We chose burgundy and white instead of the more contemporary pinks and blues.

Wedding Cards: 
This was a mission! When I got to Delhi I visited Chandi Chowk, the Mecca of wedding cards. I was overwhelmed with options. Thank god for my elder brother who helped me sort through the gibberish and decide amongst all of them. There were literally thousands of vendors selling wedding cards. As we were leaving the “wedding card village” my brother found that one card. It was card that looked like a picture frame; it was wooden mahogany that had a pearl in the middle and the card opened up like a usual wedding card. The card shop owner said the card we chose was a mogul style wedding card used centuries ago. I knew this was the card that was meant for my “Jodha Akbhar” wedding. I knew that this invitation would surely set the mood to the type of wedding I was planning. When we sent out the invitations, everyone called to say it was the most spectacular wedding card they had ever received. This was exactly what I wanted to share with all my family and friends; something unique and something they could share.

Food 
When selecting my food I knew exactly who I was going to contact for my wedding day. My good friend Gopaul from Bombay Grill made great suggestions to suit the tastes of my guests. Everyone loved the cocktail selection and food choices immensely. He worked within our budget and helped us make our day very tasty indeed.

Decorations 
There are no words to describe how thankful we are to our decorator Rakesh Anand. His motto is “we want your dreams to come true and that’s all that matters.” Because of financial issues I took it upon myself to create my own wedding décor, however 2 weeks before my big day we knew that hiring someone would be financially worth it because it was costing us more than expected. We contacted many vendors who were not willing to work within our budget. However, Anand was very compassionate. Anand made our wedding look and feel like a platinum wedding on an aluminum budget. We will forever be grateful to him and his staff and will always recommended him because of his ability to make dreams come true.

DJ: 
I was fortunate to have DJ Bhuwan Satyaketu from DJ Booze for entertainment and lighting for my wedding. He was just an amazing DJ, everyone truly enjoyed his selections. Without my DJ, the wedding would not have been as entertaining, there was never a moment when the dance floor was empty. Aside from the music, DJ Booze’s partner Laura did a fantastic job as the Master of Ceremonies.

Photography: 
My photographer for my wedding day was Alvaro Salazar from http://www.alvarosalazarphotographer.com/ Please check out his link to see some samples of our wedding and his amazing artistry. My prewedding photographer was Harry Cyriaque from H. Q. PhotoMakeup and Hair: My Makeup artist Aradia and hair stylist Kie from the “Art of Beauty by Aradia,” in Miami Beach made me look like a true superstar. http://www.bridalmakeovers.com/ I have to say that my makeup artist made me look like a true Indian bride. She did not mask my face with white powder and instead enhanced my natural beauty. I was very scared that I would not find that makeup artist who would listen to what I wanted as my wedding look. Everyone kept complimented me on how naturally beautiful I looked and how my hairstyles complimented my traditional Indian outfits perfectly.

Cake:
This was a bit of a challenge. Since I am vegetarian and my wedding was catered to vegetarians, finding a cake caterer to make eggless wedding cakes was very difficult. I managed to stumble upon Gallery of Cakes located in Aventura, FL. She took my ideas and suggestions and made me the cake of my dreams. Not only was it absolutely breathtaking but it was delicious as well.

My Television experience: 
Two of my vendors submitted me for a reality show on TLC called “Four Weddings,” and I got selected because of the uniqueness of Indian Weddings. We all know how glamorous and colorful Indian weddings can be compared to traditional western/American weddings. My dream of a true Bollywood wedding was coming true because it would be televised for the world to see it. When we finally saw the show, I was happy to see that viewers got the essence of an Indian wedding. From the live drumming and singing to the amazing Bhangra dancers, it was quite a spectacular event. Although we did not win, many people who saw the show, including those in production thought our wedding was one of the best weddings they ever attended. This alone gave me enough satisfaction. I did win. I get to spend the rest of my life with the man of my dreams!

Conclusion: 
My husband and I would never forget our wedding because of the amazing people who helped us make it a true Bollwood story. We can honestly say that it was one of the greatest days ever and if we could do it all over again there is nothing that we will change about our wedding day!

Decoration: Anand Photo & Video 754-581-0074 / www.anandphotoandvideo.com

The post Vidya’s Wedding Story first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.

When you have a spectacular Hawaiian backdrop complete with mountains in the distant background, palm trees swaying perfectly to every movement, birds chirping synchronically and creating heavenly music, you can be fairly certain that this wedding is going to be very different.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI 2nd District) really set the standard when she took her oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, being the first person in the history of the United States of America to have done so. Her wedding to cinematographer Abraham Williams followed a similar theme, as the two were wed amid traditional Hindu hymns and in the Hindu style.

Ditching a previously chosen wedding gown, Gabbard ordered an Indian ensemble online, which arrived less than two days before the wedding. In a resplendent royal blue silk jacket teamed with a flowing gold skirt, she was a stunning bride.

With a Brahmin priest to wed the two together in the traditional style, complete with the ceremonial fire that calls on Hindu deities to bear witness to the union, Gabbard and Williams added their own personal touch by writing and reciting their own special vows to one another. The moment stood out beautifully in the ceremony, as did the special emotions that touched the bride and groom equally. The ceremony concluded with a special kirtan, where guests gathered around the newly pronounced couple, celebrating their joyous union and blessing them abundantly.

Given the mood of the wedding ceremony, the food needed to recreate the same feel. A traditional Indian spread that included paneer, samosas and saffron rice were all served with love by Gabbard’s brother-in-law.

Although the ceremony and every element around it came together perfectly, the occasion was like any other wedding, bringing with it its share of nerves. For one, Gabbard was extremely concerned that the dress might not make it on time. She continually tracked the shipment until it finally made it to her doorstep. What’s more, the weather threatened to dampen spirits with a fifty percent chance of rain. However, it held beautifully and not only gave the couple clear skies, but also a gentle breeze that was perfect for the occasion.

With Gabbard’s busy work schedule, a relaxing honeymoon will have to wait. The couple, however, has no complaints, as they continue to bask in the magic of a wedding ceremony that seems to have cast a spell on them.

Marco Garcia
808-258-2159
www.marcogarciaphotography.com

Tulsi Gabbard Abraham Williams Wedding

The post Tulsi Gabbard Abraham Williams Wedding first appeared on Myshadi Bridal Expo.